Importance of Informed Consent in Medical Practices
By Danika Hoa
What Is Informed Consent?
Informed consent is when a health care professional educates a patient about a medical procedure or treatment, including the possible risks, benefits, and alternatives. It is centered on clear communication between the patient and the provider to ensure that patients are fully informed about their treatment before agreeing to it, with the right to ask questions. For healthcare providers and doctors, informed consent is an important ethical consideration.
Why It Matters
In medical practices, positive outcomes cannot be guaranteed and so informed consent helps the patient to understand the risks they undertake with that treatment. Furthermore, it is also the law, as it protects the patient’s legal rights and prevents unwanted procedures. Patients must sign paperwork to indicate that they understand the risk factors of the treatment and that doctors can take life-saving measures if necessary.
Additionally, informed consent creates trust between the doctor and the patient as it ensures they are on the same page with agreement. It reduces risk for both involved since strong communication allows the patient to make choices that are best for them, and physicians face a lower risk of legal action (Gallagher Healthcare 2018).
A consent form is a legal document that ensures information has been communicated between the patient and the provider. However, it is not just the signing of a form; it is much more than that. When the document is signed by the patient, it means that the health care provider has given them information about the patient’s condition and the treatments that are available to them, and that they understand the risks and benefits of the treatment they will be receiving (American Cancer Society 2019). It allows the doctor to perform the treatment, which reduces legal liability in case of adverse outcomes. In a sense, informed consent keeps both the doctors and the patients safe.
Possible Challenges
While informed consent is extremely important, it is crucial to understand that it is not always straightforward and easy. Several factors such as incomplete disclosure, time pressures, lack of patient comprehension, and language barriers can cause the patient to fall out of the loop of information.
Incomplete disclosure: Incomplete disclosure occurs when the information given is either intentionally or unintentionally not fully explained, such as downplaying the risks or not presenting all available treatment choices. Sometimes it is driven by provider bias, when the clinicians may assume what is “best” for the patient without involving them in the process of making the decision (National Library of Medicine 2024).
Time pressures: Time pressures can often result in incomplete disclosure due to rushed consent processes. This can happen when healthcare professionals do not give adequate time for the patient to discuss the decision in depth (Gallagher Healthcare 2018). They might feel like they are not informed enough and are uncertain about the procedure but still proceed to consent as they might feel pressured to do so.
Lack of patient comprehension: Complex medical terminology can oftentime lead to patients agreeing to medical procedures even though they do not fully recognize the risks or possible alternatives. Using everyday language instead of medical jargon can help reduce this problem in some cases. Patients should also be encouraged to ask questions to ensure clarity and increase patient participation and interaction, which has been shown from research that it improves shared decision-making and effectively displays risks (National Library of Medicine 2024). Language barriers are another cause of poor patient comprehension, especially when the patient is not fluent in the same language as the health care provider. In these situations, there should be medical interpreter services that can be used to help ensure clearer and more accurate communication.
Summary: The Purpose of Informed Consent
In conclusion, informed consent in medical treatment is fundamental in ethics and law, as patients have the right to receive information about treatments recommended by doctors so that they can make well-considered decisions about their care (American Medical Association 2024). This is done through proper communication, even if obstacles are present. When there are complications with comprehension, it is essential for the health care providers to ensure the patients thoroughly understand the risks, benefits, and additional options of their treatment.
Works Cited
Professional, Cleveland Clinic Medical. “Informed Consent.” Cleveland Clinic, 1 May 2024, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24268-informed-consent
Shah, Parth, et al. “Informed Consent.” StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf, 15 Oct. 2024, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430827/
The Importance of Patient Informed Consent. Gallagher Healthcare. 2018. Accessed Nov 17, 2024. https://www.gallaghermalpractice.com/blog/post/the-importance-of-patient-informed-consent/
Informed Consent | AMA-Code. 2024. American Medical Association. https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/ethics-opinions/informed-consent
Informed Consent | What Is Informed Consent?” American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/making-treatment-decisions/informed-consent/what-is-informed-consent.html