Georgia Statewide Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed choices about their healthcare. The medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to determine in light of known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are permitted to administer treatments to patients, they have to obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement that requires that a patient be provided with detailed information about his or her physical health and the treatment recommended by the physician in charge. After receiving this information the patient has to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment can be provided. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In some instances, patients may not be able to communicate their decisions to the health care professionals. In these situations the patient is said to lack the appropriate capacity to make decisions. 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, for instance can be deemed to not having the capacity for decision-making. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on their own, and outside parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Georgia Statewide Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The recommended treatment is suggested by the acting physician
The risks and advantages associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits that come of refusing treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be documented in a written document But they also need to have a discussion with the patient. This way, he or is able to fully comprehend what is happening and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might arise.