General Consent Form Template – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. Medical treatments can be quite sensitive, so patients must be able to decide according to the known risks of their body, how it will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are allowed to administer treatments to patients, they must receive the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement under which a patient has been given a complete and accurate description of the physical condition and the treatment recommended by the acting physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care can be administered. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients may not have the capacity to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other situations patients may not be able communicate their decision to health professionals. When this occurs the patient is considered to lack the necessary decision making capacity. Family members or a court appointed representative then, is allowed to provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, for instance are deemed not possessing decision making capacity. The patients who are unconscious are unable to make decisions on their own, and outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an General Consent Form Template
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and benefits associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits that come with refusing treatment at all
Not only should these details be recorded in the documentation However, they should also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. So, he can be fully aware of the particulars of the case and can get direct answers to any issues that may arise.
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