Informed Financial Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed choices about their healthcare. Treatments for medical conditions can be invasive, so patients should be able to ultimately determine from the facts about risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can administer treatments to patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition under which a patient is informed of his or her physical health as well as the treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge. Once this information is received the patient must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment can be provided. Without the patient’s informed consent, a health care provider is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the skills to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks and benefits that come with each. In other situations, patients may not be able communicate their decision to health care professionals. In these situations patients are said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. The family member, or court-appointed representative, then, is allowed to perform informed consent instead.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for instance can be deemed to not having the capacity for decision-making. Patients who are in the state of unconscious can’t make decisions on independently, and other people have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Informed Financial Consent Form
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The treatment recommended by the acting physician
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, as well as their risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with refusing treatment whatsoever
Not only should these details be documented However, they should also been discussed by the patient. This way, he can be fully aware of what is happening and get straight answers to any questions that may arise.