As a physician, it is your duty to provide
your patients with the relevant medical information
in order to help them choose a treatment plan.
Even if a treatment is medically indicated
and you think it is in their best interest,
it is ultimately up to the patient to decide
whether to proceed.
Here are 3 things that you should not miss
when obtaining a valid consent:
Assess the patient’s capacityBefore you
even obtain consent, you need to be satisfied
that the person can understand the nature
of the proposed treatment, its anticipated
effects, and the consequences of refusal.
In most provinces, capacity does not depend
on age but varies according to the person
and the complexity of the decision.
A 10-year-old may appreciate that his broken
foot needs a cast but that same person may
not understand the operation proposed to fix
it.
Inform the patient of any special risksDuring
the consent process, you will need to provide
your patients with information about the expected
benefits, possible material risks, any alternative
course of actions, and the likely consequences
of not having the treatment.You should also
discuss any special risks that might apply
to the particular patient.
Developing an abnormal sense of touch after
carpel tunnel surgery may affect a dentist
differently than a retired librarian.
Be sure that the person is giving consent
voluntarilyWhen getting consent, take care
to ensure that this person is choosing freely
and is not being coerced by anyone, including
you.Patients should be given an appropriate
time to deliberate and the information should
be presented factually.
While in some cases it may be important for
the patient’s friends or family to provide
input, remember that you are only treating
the patient.
Patients have the right to choose, doctors
have the duty to inform.
