Patient Photo Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions about their healthcare. Medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able decide in light of known risks, how their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are permitted to administer treatments to patients, they must be given what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement that requires that a patient be provided with detailed information about his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form of treatment is offered. Without informed consent from the patient any health professional cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations, patients do not possess the capabilities to fully understand their options in terms of treatment and the potential risks and benefits associated with each one. In other cases, patients may not be able explain their decisions to health professionals. In these situations patients are said to lack the appropriate capacity to make decisions. An individual from the family or court appointed representative in this case, can give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear for instance can be deemed to not able to make decisions. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Patient Photo Consent Form
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment that is recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this procedure
Alternative treatments are also available, along with their benefits and risks
The risks and benefits that come with not accepting any treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the documentation however, they must be discussed with the patient. In this way, he or will be able to comprehend the details of the situation and receive direct responses to any issues that may be arising.