Informed Consent

what is informed consent?

-process by which a fully informed patient can participate in choices about their health care

-it originates from the legal and ethical rights the patient has to direct what happens to their body and from the ethical duty of the physician/PT to involve the patient in their health care

*make sure pt of sound decision making, put pt in drivers seat; we inform them what best

what included in informed consent

-diagnosis

-nature and purpose of a proposed treatment/procedure

-risk and benefits

-alternatives (regardless of their cost or extent to which treatment options are covered by health insurance)

-risk and benefits of the alternative treatment/procedure

-risk and benefits of not receiving or undergoing a treatment or procedure

• ex: ACL tear- surgery vs conservative care vs no care

how much info does the pt need to make them “fully informed”?

-Reasonable provider standard: what would a typical provder say about this intervention

-Reasonable pt standard: what would the average patient need to know in order to be an informed participant in the decision

-Subjective standard: what would THIS pt need to know and understand in order to make an informed decisions

• Most challenging to incorporate (pt factors like education level, knowledge, culture, language, etc.)

  • also most important

-ex: educating a physician on the risk of pneumothorx after dry needling vs educated pt (puncture lung) vs uneducated pt (what do the lungs do? why is that important?). Health literacy plays an important factor

what kind of interventions require IC?

Signed Consent Form (Formal)

-most invasive procedure

-admission to hospital

-general OP PT (consent to treat)

-limited for PT interventions, usually dry needling

-meaningful discussion and verbal consent is required for majority of PT evaluations, treatments, and interventions

how to ask for informed consent

-explain what you are planning to do/complete with the pt and your purpose for doing so

-explain the risk and benefits of the proposed activity/intervention (*doing and not doing)

-explain the alternative if appropiate

-ask for the pts consent to proceed with your planned intervention

-inform the pt they can withdraw their consent at any time (if applicable)