Island Home Health Care

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy and procedure is to identify the process for obtaining general and specific informed consent for health care procedures, and other activities in the field of patient care.

SCOPE

Consent applies to all treatment/procedures outlined in this policy. Health care providers and all entities involved in research involving human subjects.

RESPONSIBILITY

It is the responsibility of Island Home Health Care to obtain the General Consent form from the sought patients / or patient’s relative before he/she is discharged from the hospital.

POLICY

It is the responsibility of Island Home Health Care to obtain the General Consent form from the sought patients / or patient’s relative before he/she is discharged from the hospital.

DEFINITION

CONSENT

A declaration (written or oral) of willingness to undergo a procedure, treatment or other intervention.

GENERAL CONSENT

A consent which gives the healthcare facility the permission from the patient or appropriate legal/cultural representative to perform normal medical interventions such as the administration of medications, assessments and examinations and appropriate noninvasive procedures considered routine in the provision of patient care.

WITNESSING CONSENT

The witness for the consent must be someone other than the primary operator for the intervention. The signing witness must witness the discussion of the procedure as well as the signing of the forms. When a translator is required, the translator should function as a witness.

PROCEDURE

  • Our facility (IHHC) physician have to informs the patient of the intervention, risks and benefits, any alternative treatment and risk of not accepting recommended treatment, and acquires and documents the consent.

  • The patient or authorized person has the right to an explanation of the consent form, the opportunity to read the form (or have it verbally explained in a language he can comprehend), and to have any relevant questions answered.

  • The patient has the right to put a line through (or mark) a section or phrase of the consent form which indicates patient/guardian exceptions to consent.

  • The completed form becomes part of the patient's permanent health record.

DURATION AND VALIDITY OF CONSENT

A valid consent endures (30 days) from the time the consent is given to the time the intervention and/or treatment commences, unless

  • It is withdrawn by the consent giver,

  • A change is made in the planned and consented to intervention

  • An assessment indicates the patient's condition has changed.

  • If the consent is invalidated by one of the above, the consent must be renewed and verified by signature and date from the attending physician and consent giver. The attending physician/ health care provider is responsible for ensuring that the consent remains valid from the time of consent to the commencement of the intervention.

REFUSAL OF CONSENT

A patient must be fully informed about the various treatments and procedures that are necessary according to the attending physician, and understand the risks and benefits of the proposed treatments. Once fully informed, a patient may choose among different treatment alternatives or may refuse all forms of treatment.

A competent adult has the right to refuse any intervention, even though such refusal may endanger life or health. Where intervention is refused or when a patient self-discharge, the physician has an obligation to make reasonable attempts to inform the patient of the risks involved in refusal.

CONSENT IN EMERGENCY SITUATION

An intervention should be initiated without consent when an emergency situation exists, except where there is an Advance Health Care Directive contrary to the intervention. Where all the following criteria are fulfilled, Consent is not required for treatment.

  • If there is immediate threat to life or health.

  • Treatment cannot be delayed.

  • If the patient is not capable of consenting.

  • For minors, if the person legally capable of consenting on behalf of the minor is not available. The physician must document the situation on the patient's health record.