PriVACy Notice And Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions about their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be injurious, and patients must be able to ultimately determine according to the known risks as well as their own personal preferences, how they will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are permitted to administer treatments to patients, they must be given the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition where a patient is given a complete and accurate description of his or her physical state and the recommended treatment by the physician in charge. After receiving this information the patient must be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form or treatment can be administered. Without the patient’s informed consent an health care professional cannot offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients lack the ability to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other cases, patients may not be able to communicate their choices to health care professionals. If this happens the patient is said to lack the necessary capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court appointed representative in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear, for instance – may be determined as not able to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious can’t make decisions on own, and outside parties must provide consent for treatment instead.
Items in an PriVACy Notice And Consent Form
Certain elements are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the physician who is acting
The benefits and risks associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are offered, as are their risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with not accepting any treatment at all
These details must not only be documented, but they must also communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he is able to fully comprehend what is happening and will receive immediate responses to any questions that have arisen.