Social Media Consent Form For Patients – Every person should be able to make informed decisions regarding their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be injurious, and patients must be able to determine from the facts about risks, how their bodies will be treated. Therefore, before medical workers are allowed to provide treatment to patients they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement where a patient is provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical health and the treatment suggested by the treating physician. After receiving this information the patient has to be able to give the physician their consent to treat prior to any form of treatment can be given. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not permitted to offer treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances the patients aren’t equipped with the knowledge to fully comprehend their treatment options , as well as the potential risks and benefits associated with each. In other instances patients might not be able to communicate their decision to health professionals. In these situations, the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court appointed representative could then be able to make informed consent on behalf of the patient.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as not having the capacity to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on their own, and outside parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Social Media Consent Form For Patients
There are certain elements that are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical conditions/diagnosis
The procedure recommended by the doctor in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages of refusing treatment at all
Not only must these items be documented however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he is able to fully comprehend the details of the situation and will be able to get immediate answers to any questions that may have arisen.