Telemedicine Informed Consent Form – Every person should be able to make informed choices about their medical care. Medical treatments can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to ultimately determine, based on known risks of their body, how it will be treated. In order to ensure that medical professionals can be able to treat their patients, they must obtain the process of informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful condition that requires that a patient be provided with specific information regarding the physical condition and the treatment suggested by the physician in charge. After receiving this information, the patient must provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care can be offered. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider cannot provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients lack the capabilities to fully understand the options for treatment and the risks/benefits of each. In other instances patients might not be able to effectively convey their preferences to health care professionals. When this occurs patients are said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. A family member or court-appointed representative, can provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for example they could be judged as lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious are unable to make decisions on their own. Therefore, outside parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Telemedicine Informed Consent Form
Certain elements are included on all informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment recommended by the acting physician
The risks and benefits associated with this treatment
There are alternative treatments available, along with their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with not accepting any treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records however, they must discuss the situation with patients. So, he is able to fully comprehend what is happening and can get direct answers to any queries that might arise.