Online Survey Consent Form Template – Everybody should be able to make informed choices about their healthcare. Treatments for medical conditions can be invasive, so patients should be able to decide in light of known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can provide treatment to patients they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition under which a patient has been given a complete and accurate description of the condition of their body and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received the patient has to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of treatment can be given. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional is not permitted to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients lack the capabilities to fully understand their options regarding treatment, and the benefits and risks associated with each one. In other cases patients may not be able communicate their choices to health professionals. In these situations the patient is said not to have adequate decision making capacity. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative, could then be able to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for instance could be classified as lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on independent of themselves, so outsiders need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Online Survey Consent Form Template
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The procedure recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and advantages associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are readily available, along with their potential risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages of refusing treatment at all
The items should not only be documented, but they must also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he can fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that arise.