Telemental Health Informed Consent Form – Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about their health. Medical procedures can be risky, therefore patients should be able to decide in light of known risks of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are allowed to be able to treat their patients, they have to obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent , a requirement in law is the condition in which patients are provided with specific information regarding his or her physical health and the treatment recommended by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient has to sign a consent form with the doctor to treat before any form of care can be provided. Without informed consent from the patient, a health care provider cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances, patients do not possess the knowledge to fully comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each one. In other situations, patients may not be able to communicate their decision to health workers. In such situations it is believed that the patient not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. An individual from the family or court appointed representative will then be permitted to give informed consent in lieu of the patient.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as lacking the ability to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious cannot make decisions on their alone, and external parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Telemental Health Informed Consent Form
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The patient’s medical diagnosis/condition
The recommended treatment is suggested by the medical professional in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are readily available, along with their risks and benefits
The dangers and advantages with not accepting any treatment at all
Not only must these items be detailed in documentation, but they must also be discussed with the patient. This way, he is able to fully comprehend all the details of the scenario and can get direct answers to any concerns that might be arising.