Periodontal Treatment Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. Medical treatments can be quite injurious, and patients must be able to determine the risks that are known to be present of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can treat patients, they must be given what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition under which a patient is provided with specific information regarding his or her physical state and the treatment recommended by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient must sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of care is given. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients lack the knowledge to fully comprehend the options for treatment and the benefits and risks associated with each. In other situations patients may not be able explain their decisions to health workers. When this occurs the patient is considered to lack the necessary capacity to make decisions. The family member, or court-appointed representative, in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, as an example – may be determined as not possessing decision making capacity. Those who are unconscious clearly can’t make decisions on independently, and other people must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Periodontal Treatment Consent Form
There are certain elements that are universally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the medical professional in charge
The risks and benefits associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are available, as well as their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
These items must not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records They must also discuss the situation with patients. This way, he will be able to comprehend the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that may have arisen.