Medical Consent Authorization Form – Everyone should be able to make informed choices about their health. Medical treatments can be invasive, so patients should be able to determine, based on known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals are allowed to provide treatment to patients they must receive the process of informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement in which patients are given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical health and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of care is offered. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases patients may not have the capabilities to fully understand their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits of each. In other situations, patients may not be able to effectively communicate their choices to health workers. In such situations it is believed that the patient not to have adequate capacity to make decisions. A family member or court appointed representative can provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions such as anxiety or fear, as an example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly are unable to make decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Medical Consent Authorization Form
There are certain elements that are generally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment suggested by the medical professional in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are readily offered, as are their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with refusing treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation However, they should also been discussed by the patient. So, he will be able to comprehend the details of the situation and will receive immediate responses to any concerns that might be arising.