Electronic Consent Form App – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions regarding their health. Medical treatments can be quite injurious, and patients must be able to ultimately determine the risks that are known to be present, how their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can operate on patients, they must be given the process of informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement where a patient is informed of the physical condition and the treatment recommended by the treating physician. After receiving this information patients must be able to give the physician their consent to treat before any form of treatment can be offered. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients lack the capacity to comprehend their treatment options and the risks/benefits of each one. In other circumstances patients might not be able to effectively communicate their decision to health professionals. Under these circumstances the patient is considered not to possess the proper decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court appointed representative then, is allowed to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. People who are not conscious cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Electronic Consent Form App
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the acting physician
The risks and advantages associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are also offered, as are their benefits and risks
The dangers and advantages of refusing treatment at all
These items must not only be documented however, they must been discussed by the patient. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend the specifics of the situation and receive direct responses to any concerns that might arise.