Creating Medical Consent Forms for Your Practice

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 50 million surgical procedures take place in the U.S. annually. From cardiac catheterizations to total hip replacements, surgeries are very common.

Before having surgery, American adults must sign medical consent forms on behalf of themselves or their children, depending on their age. A patient consent form for treatment addresses key issues and helps them make an informed decision about whether to have a surgical procedure.

Learn more about the importance of informed consent forms, the different types of consent in healthcare, and more below.

Understanding Medical Consent Forms

The first evidence of a medical consent form dates back to the 16th century when U.S. Army physician Major Walter Reed asked volunteers to fill out a legal document before researchers conducted a clinical trial on yellow fever. However, the disclosure in these research contracts didn’t include the word “consent.”

It wasn’t until the 1957 court case Salgo v. Leland Stanford Jr. University Board of Trustees that “informed consent” was introduced. This case led to the first consent forms. Let’s first address what they are.

What Are Medical Consent Forms?

Before a medical practice can provide treatment, patients must complete medical consent forms. These legal documents give a doctor a patient’s permission to carry out medical plans.

In theory, it might seem as though this consent document is used to protect healthcare professionals. In reality, it’s an agreement that protects a patient’s rights. The form shows the patient has been informed about:

• Benefits
• Potential risks
• Alternatives

Prior to completing an agreement form, a patient should review a doctor’s particular treatment or procedure and weigh its risks and rewards. This form can help them better understand the procedure before providing consent.

Legal and Ethical Foundations

Consent forms are based on a pair of important healthcare principles:

• Patient autonomy: The right a patient has to make informed decisions regarding their own care, even if they aren’t in agreement with the advice provided by healthcare professionals
• Informed consent: The right a patient has to find out about the potential benefits and potential risks associated with a medical intervention before agreeing to it.

Types of Medical Consent Forms

Several different types of consent forms exist. Your clinic should choose which one to provide before a medical care treatment.

General Consent Forms

This is the most basic form. It provides a disclosure before routine treatments and procedures.

Examples include consent for hospitalizations, consent for general medical treatments, and consent for blood tests.

Procedure-Specific Consent Forms

This is a more detailed form. It’s used for specific surgeries.

Examples include surgical and anesthesia consent forms.

Specialty Consent Forms

This is the most specific form. It’s used for particular specialties.

Examples include consent for telehealth visits and consent for off-label drug use.

Best Practices for Creating Medical Consent Forms

Your practice’s healthcare professionals should aim to help patients make informed choices by creating informed consent forms. See what a disclosure form should include.

Clear and Comprehensive Information

Every medical consent form needs to include the following relevant information:

• A diagnosis
• The nature of a proposed treatment
• The benefits and risks of a medical treatment
• Treatment alternatives

Patient Understanding of a Medical Treatment and Voluntary Decision

In addition to providing a consent form with a few basic elements, your practice should take these steps before you obtain consent to meet the informed consent requirements:

• Assess a patient’s comprehension to ensure they understand an informed consent form.
• Encourage a patient to ask questions about a procedure.
• Remind a patient that participation in surgery is voluntary.

Documentation and Record Keeping

After your clinic secures consent, you should add an informed consent form to a patient’s file. Document the informed consent process and incorporate it into their patient information records.

Challenges and Solutions in Obtaining Consent

Getting a patient to provide informed consent typically won’t present problems for your practice. However, you may face challenges at times when asking patients to sign medical consent forms.

Addressing Language Barriers

More than 20% of American households speak languages other than English. This can create language barriers. You can get around them by:

• Offering forms in other languages
• Asking interpreters to translate forms

Dealing With Complex Medical Information

Patients might struggle to understand if you use complicated language in a consent form. Avoid this by:

• Simplifying the language
• Adding visual aids for treatment options
• Inviting patients to ask questions

Ensuring Informed Consent in Emergency Situations

If patients need emergency care and cannot sign a consent form, doctors may treat them as long as the treatment is reasonable. In these circumstances, the treatment must save their life or prevent a permanent disability.

The Role of Technology in Medical Consent Forms

Technology has helped the medical community with consent forms. Discover how it’s making it easier for patients to sign them.

Digital Consent Forms

Digital consent forms deliver several benefits for medical practices, making the process more accessible and efficient.

Telehealth and E-Consent

Almost 40% of Americans utilize telehealth services. Medical practices must take a different approach to distributing consent forms to patients, often by sending a special e-consent form.

Weave’s Solutions for Medical Consent Forms

Weave has the best solutions for medical practices in creating medical consent forms.

Streamlined Consent Collection

Your medical practice can incorporate Weave’s digital forms into its practice management system. This will make it simple to collect forms, including medical consent and insurance forms, from patients.

Enhanced Patient Communication

You can inform patients about treatment options and remind them to send in forms through Weave’s automated appointment reminders. Weave also offers other communication tools so you can contact patients about upcoming treatments while keeping patient information secure and ensuring confidentiality.

Let Weave Help Your Practice Handle Medical Consent Forms

Medical consent forms play a vital part in the U.S. healthcare system. This form gives patients the information they need to make informed decisions when providing permission for medical procedures.

Obtain more information on Weave’s solutions and contact us to get a demo on how to improve the confidentiality of your practice’s consent form.