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What is a Patient Consent Form?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

A patient consent form is a document a patient signs to indicate that he gives his consent for a particular action. For example, a patient may sign this type of form to acknowledge that he is aware of the risks of a particular medical procedure and gives his consent for the treatment. An individual may also sign this type of form to give a doctor or a facility permission to release records or share information about his health. Sometimes a patient may even sign a patient consent form to give a medical professional or facility permission to include information about him in a publication.

In many cases, patients may be asked to sign these forms before receiving treatments or undergoing certain procedures. These forms often require patients to acknowledge that they have been told the risks and benefits of the procedure or treatment and are giving the medical professionals in question permission to perform the procedure. Often, these forms briefly explain the risks and benefits above the signature section so that patients are sure to see this information before signing. Sometimes, these forms also require the patient to fill in a short medical history section. For example, a person may have to provide details about his vaccination history when signing a patient consent form for a new vaccination.

Patients may sign a consent form to allow health care professionals to share information about them with another party.
Patients may sign a consent form to allow health care professionals to share information about them with another party.

Sometimes a patient may sign a patient consent form to give his permission for a health care professional or facility to share his information with someone else. For example, a person may sign a form to allow his specialist to share medical information about him with his primary care doctor. A patient may also sign a similar form to allow his doctor to share information about him with his insurance company or another organization. In some cases, a patient may even have to sign such a form if he wants to give his doctors permission to share his medical information with his family members.

A patient may provide immunization history forms when filling out a patient consent form for a new vaccination.
A patient may provide immunization history forms when filling out a patient consent form for a new vaccination.

Often, patients are also asked to sign patient consent forms because their doctors want to share information about them in some sort of publication. For example, a doctor may wish to publish information about a unique medical case in a medical journal. In such a case, he may have to obtain his patient's permission to share these details. In some places, a doctor may have to obtain permission even if he plans to publish this information without including identifying details such as the patient's name and age.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a MyLawQuestions writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a MyLawQuestions writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

bythewell

This makes me think of DNRs or Do Not Resuscitate forms which patients at the end of their lives can sign to make sure the doctors won't try to prolong them.

It's basically the opposite of an informed consent form. It's a form telling the doctor he does not have permission to work.

I always wonder whether the people who sign them ever regret it. I'm not saying they should, but I can't imagine at this point in my life, being that sure I didn't want just a few more hours.

And I always feel sorry for doctors who have to abide by them.

It seems like they can be very frustrated by the way it turns out for some patients. I can understand that, and I sympathize.

browncoat

There have been cases where doctors are thought to have misused consent forms.

What springs to mind is the controversy over whether or not they should be allowed to develop cell lines from cancer samples taken from patients.

A cell line is when cells are grown continuously in the lab, to provide samples for medical researchers to test. Sometimes the cell lines continue long after the patient herself is dead. One cell line has been kept going since the 1950's, for example.

The courts have ruled that people don't have any right to their cells after they sign a medical consent form allowing doctors to take samples.

I don't want doctors to have no ability to test new medication, but I have to admit, this still seems wrong to me.

I feel like patients should at least get some compensation, or some say in whether or not their cells can be used.

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    • Patients may sign a consent form to allow health care professionals to share information about them with another party.
      By: alexsokolov
      Patients may sign a consent form to allow health care professionals to share information about them with another party.
    • A patient may provide immunization history forms when filling out a patient consent form for a new vaccination.
      By: alexskopje
      A patient may provide immunization history forms when filling out a patient consent form for a new vaccination.
    • Patients are often required to sign consent forms before receiving treatment.
      By: JackF
      Patients are often required to sign consent forms before receiving treatment.
    • Some doctors may desire to publish information about a patient in a medical journal.
      By: Monkey Business
      Some doctors may desire to publish information about a patient in a medical journal.
    • Patient consent forms show they have been informed of the risks, and also establish medical liability.
      By: narstudio
      Patient consent forms show they have been informed of the risks, and also establish medical liability.