Text Message Consent Form – Every person should be able to make educated decisions about their healthcare. Treatments for medical conditions can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able decide in light of known risks of their body, how it will be treated. Thus, before medical professionals are permitted to administer treatments to patients, they must receive what is known as informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal condition that requires that a patient be provided with specific information regarding his or her physical health and the treatment suggested by the doctor in charge. After receiving this information the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat prior to any form of care can be offered. Without informed consent from the patient health care professional is not allowed to provide treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain instances patients don’t have the ability to comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the potential risks and benefits associated with each one. In other cases patients might not be able explain their decisions to health workers. In these situations, the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. A family member or court-appointed representative, in this case, can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear, for example – may be determined as not having the capacity for decision-making. People who are not conscious cannot make decisions on own. Therefore, outside parties need to consent to treatment instead.
Items in an Text Message Consent Form
There are certain elements that are commonly included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition/diagnosis
The treatment suggested by the medical professional in charge
The risks and advantages associated with this method of treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The potential risks and rewards with refusing any treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the documentation But they also need to be discussed with the patient. So, he is able to fully comprehend the particulars of the case and will be able to get immediate answers to any concerns that might have arisen.