Sample Consent To Treat Form – Everyone should have the ability to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Medical treatments can be quite risky, therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. So, before medical professionals are allowed to administer treatments to patients, they need to receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the requirement under which a patient has been provided with specific information regarding his or her physical state as well as the treatment that is recommended by the acting physician. After receiving this information patients must give the doctor their consent to treat prior to any form of care is delivered. Without the patient’s informed consent any health professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances, patients do not possess the ability to comprehend their treatment options , as well as the benefits and risks associated with each. In other cases patients might not be able convey their preferences to health professionals. In these situations the patient is said to not possess adequate capacity to make decisions. If a family member is not present, or court-appointed representative, then, is allowed to take over informed consent.
Patients who are influenced by their emotions – such as anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as not having the capacity for decision-making. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on independent of themselves, so outsiders require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Sample Consent To Treat Form
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the physician who is acting
The risks and benefits that come with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments are available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the documentation, but they must also been discussed by the patient. In this way, he or she will fully understand the specifics of the situation and can get direct answers to any concerns that might arise.