Consent To Use Likeness Form – Everyone should have the ability to make educated decisions about their medical care. The medical procedures can be sensitive, so patients must be able decide, based on known risks of their body, how it will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals can treat patients, they have to obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition where a patient is informed of his or her physical state and the treatment recommended by the treating physician. Once this information is received, the patient must be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form of treatment is offered. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases the patients aren’t equipped with the capabilities to fully understand the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other cases patients might not be able communicate their decisions to the health professionals. If this happens patients are said to lack the appropriate capacity for decision-making. The family member, or court-appointed representative, will then be permitted to provide informed consent instead.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, as an example can be deemed to not having the capacity for decision-making. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Consent To Use Likeness Form
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the acting physician
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with refusing treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be detailed in documentation, but they must also have a discussion with the patient. In this way, he or can be fully aware of what is happening and will receive immediate responses to any questions that have arisen.