VFS Global Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make informed choices about their healthcare. Treatments for medical conditions can be risky, therefore patients should be able to determine in light of known risks that their bodies should be treated. Therefore, before medical workers can be able to treat their patients, they need to receive the so-called informed consent.
The informed consent requirement is legal requirement that requires that a patient be informed of his or her physical health and the treatment suggested by the physician in charge. After receiving this information the patient must give the doctor their consent to treat before any form of treatment can be given. Without the patient’s informed consent health care professional is not allowed to provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients lack the skills to comprehend the options for treatment and the risks/benefits associated with each. In other cases patients might not be able to effectively convey their preferences to health professionals. In these situations patients are said to not possess adequate capacity for decision-making. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative could then be able to provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are strongly affected by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as not having the capacity for decision-making. The patients who are unconscious cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties require consent for treatment instead.
Items in an VFS Global Consent Form
Certain elements are generally included in informed consent forms:
The patient’s medical condition or diagnosis
The treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge
The benefits and risks associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments are readily available, as well as their risks and benefits
The risks and benefits associated with refusing any treatment at all
These details must not only be detailed in documentation, but they must also have a discussion with the patient. In this way, he or is able to fully comprehend the specifics of the situation and will receive immediate responses to any questions that arise.