Website Consent Form – Everybody should be able to make informed decisions about their health. The medical procedures can be injurious, and patients must be able to determine, based on known risks and the way their bodies will be treated. Thus, before medical personnel are allowed to be able to treat their patients, they have to obtain the process of informed consent.
Informed consent is a legal requirement in which patients are provided with a full and complete description of his or her physical state and the treatment suggested by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient has to provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care is administered. Without the patient’s informed consent, a health care provider cannot offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In certain situations patients may not have the knowledge to fully comprehend their treatment options , as well as the risks/benefits associated with each. In other situations patients may not be able to communicate their choices to health care professionals. If this happens the patient is said to not possess adequate capacity for decision-making. The family member, or court-appointed representative in this case, can provide informed consent instead.
Patients who are greatly influenced by their emotions, like anxiety or fear for instance they could be judged as not able to make decisions. The patients who are unconscious are unable to make decisions on their independent of themselves, so outsiders have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an Website Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment that is recommended by the acting physician
The benefits and risks associated with this procedure
Alternative treatments are available, as well as their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing any treatment whatsoever
The items should not only be detailed in documentation however, they must been discussed by the patient. This way, he or is able to fully comprehend the details of the situation and will receive immediate responses to any questions that may have arisen.