Video: What is informed consent?

We hear the term bandied about quite a bit, “informed consent.” But, what exactly is informed consent and how can you give it if you’re not very familiar with medicine and medical language?

Informed consent is your okay for your doctor, dentist, podiatrist, etc, to perform medical, surgical, or dental procedures on you or your child. Without informed consent, they are not allowed to perform any procedures.

To give informed consent, you must have the procedure, as well as the risks and benefits, explained to you in a way that you understand. It sounds like a simple enough concept, but it’s not always followed through.

Ok, so what if you’re not in a position to offer consent? There are some rules that the medical community is legally obliged to follow for implied consent. The best example for this is if someone goes to an emergency room, meaning they were seeking help, and they become unconscious before they can register. They have implied that they would give consent.

If someone is transported to the hospital but they’re unconscious and there’s no-one to sign for them, the doctors again, must act as if they have implied consent with the goal of saving the life.

To learn more about implied consent, click on the TV screen below to watch the video:

Informed Consent

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Images: Stock.xchg and iStock