Paperless Consent Forms – Everyone should be able to make informed choices about their medical care. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able decide from the facts about risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are permitted to provide treatment to patients they need to receive the process of informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement under which a patient is provided with a full and complete description of the condition of their body and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. Once this information is received the patient is required to give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment can be provided. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the skills to comprehend their options in terms of treatment and the risks/benefits of each one. In other circumstances patients may not be able communicate their decisions to the health workers. In these situations the patient is considered to not possess adequate capacity for decision-making. The family member, or court-appointed representative, then, is allowed to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear for instance could be classified as not having the capacity for decision-making. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot make decisions on their own, and outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Paperless Consent Forms
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment recommended by the physician who is acting
The benefits and risks associated with this procedure
There are alternative treatments available, along with their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits associated with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
Not only must these items be documented in a written document, but they must also been discussed by the patient. This way, he can be fully aware of what is happening and get straight answers to any queries that might have arisen.
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