Limited Orthodontic Treatment Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed choices about their health. Medical treatments can be risky, therefore patients should be able to determine, based on known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can treat patients, they must be given the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition under which a patient has been provided with detailed information about his or her physical health and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received patients must offer the physician consent to treat before any form of care is provided. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances the patients aren’t equipped with the capacity to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each. In other situations patients might not be able to effectively explain their decisions to health professionals. In such situations the patient is considered not to have adequate capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as not able to make decisions. People who are not conscious cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Limited Orthodontic Treatment Consent Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the acting physician
The risks and benefits that come with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with refusing treatment whatsoever
These details must not only be detailed in documentation however, they must have a discussion with the patient. In this way, he or can be fully aware of the specifics of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any concerns that might be arising.