Group Therapy Informed Consent Form Template – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be quite demanding, and therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine the risks that are known to be present as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are allowed to provide treatment to patients they must obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition in which patients are given a complete and accurate description of the condition of their body and the treatment suggested by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form of care is delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients may not have the capabilities to fully understand the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each. In other situations patients might not be able communicate their decisions to the health care professionals. In these situations, the patient is said to lack the necessary decision making capacity. Family members or a court appointed representative could then be able to perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. Those who are unconscious clearly can’t make decisions on alone, and external parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Group Therapy Informed Consent Form Template
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and benefits associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with not accepting any treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the documentation However, they should also be discussed with the patient. This way, he is able to fully comprehend the particulars of the case and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might be arising.