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Old 09-16-2019, 03:13 PM
 
2,391 posts, read 1,384,597 times
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When you are given a consent to treatment form to sign before medical treatment — a procedure, a test or an operation — do you read the form carefully or do you just assume that your doctor has already adequately described the risks and benefits of the treatment?

Have you ever decided against treatment when you saw the consent form? Did you ever delay treatment to get your questions answered?

I am talking about elective, not emergency procedures/treatment here.

I tend to not read consent forms carefully and just tend to sign on the dotted line, unless we are talking about consent for a major surgery or other non-routine treatment.

I have only had one major surgery in my life and was dismayed when I was given a consent form to sign about 15 minutes before I was rolled into the operating room. In this form I saw listed a whole slew of potential risks and side effects that my surgeon had never discussed with me. I am pretty sure I would have gone through with the (elective) surgery anyway, but it would have been nice to been given the forms a little farther in advance.

So, when I heard last week that some “paperwork” would be involved in the planning session (simulation) for my upcoming radiation therapy, I asked if this “paperwork” involved a consent form and if so, whether I could get a copy of the form a few days ahead of time.

I have looked the form over and realized that I did indeed have more questions about potential long term side effects of treatment (not all the risks listed had been discussed with me up until now) as well as a few other questions. I told the nurse I would like these questioned answered before I signed. Part of me worries that I will be perceived as that patient, the pain in the ass, but I suppose a larger part of me wanted the information. We will see.

Anyone else have an interest medical consent-related experiences?
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Old 09-16-2019, 03:45 PM
 
17,384 posts, read 13,103,473 times
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Never read them, a waste of time.


Anything serious enough to treat will always have "potential" side effects


I already weighed the pluses and minuses of treatment before I decided to go for treatment! If I need the treatment that's a plus and I could care less about any minus issues that will probably never occur.
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Old 09-16-2019, 03:49 PM
 
3,211 posts, read 2,948,782 times
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I take them seriously, and then I sign them.
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Old 09-16-2019, 05:52 PM
 
Location: on the wind
22,912 posts, read 18,207,688 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldgardener View Post
I take them seriously, and then I sign them.
Same here. Usually though, by the time I'm that close to a procedure the surgeon/provider and I have already discussed it until I felt informed about the potential risks or complications. Most of the time the important aspects in the consent form have already been covered. I do read them before signing anyway. They are a service provider. I want to be an informed customer. Once in a while the form does trigger a question. Most of the time no.
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Old 09-16-2019, 06:04 PM
 
Location: Somewhere.
10,481 posts, read 25,207,613 times
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I read them thoroughly, and discuss my concerns with the doctor doing the procedure. If they cannot give me the right answers, I elect to not have the procedure.

Back in 2017, I was supposed to have a laser procedure on some veins in my legs. Some of the side effects listed were that i could end up with permanent numbness and tingling in my legs that would be there all the time. Another side effect was that I could have some muscles in my legs paralyzed. I told them that I could not sign the consent forms because the side effects that I could experience were not acceptable to me. I did not start out with those problems and certainly did not want to have them afterwards. So I never had it done.

I still have some issues with my legs, but I have learned to live with it and am trying natural things for it instead. Along with compression.
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Old 09-16-2019, 07:05 PM
 
Location: South Florida
924 posts, read 1,665,526 times
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I read all of them. Usually there are no surprises because l have already looked up and read up on the procedure and I am comfortable asking questions when discussing it with the doctor.

The longest and scariest one I ever read was the one for Lasik surgery. It was pages and pages long (12, 15?) and every other page was basically "and you could go blind." I still had the procedure, and it went fine, but that form did give me pause.

The other scary ones have been any involving one of my kids.. Even if it would not be my fault if something went wrong, it would be totally my fault for consenting to it to begin with.
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Old 09-16-2019, 07:10 PM
 
Location: planet earth
8,620 posts, read 5,594,113 times
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The forms are a joke, but should be read - they are basically boilerplates that say *whomever* assumes no responsibility what-so-ever of any bad outcomes you may have.
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Old 09-16-2019, 07:11 PM
 
4,985 posts, read 3,920,798 times
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our providers email or fax forms beforehand.
gives us time to decide.
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Old 09-16-2019, 07:48 PM
 
Location: City Data Land
17,156 posts, read 12,869,125 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turkeydance View Post
our providers email or fax forms beforehand.
gives us time to decide.
And also depersonalizes the experience even more. Got a question for the doctor? Too bad; he/she isn't in your living room to answer your questions. If you have a question you need answered, when you call, it's quite likely you would get an automated system or voicemail instead of a human being. I am shocked that a doctor's office would email a patient consent forms without being physically present to explain them. I've worked for doctors 15 years and have never heard of this.

Of course I always read consent forms. I always read anything that requires my signature because I am then held legally liable for what I have signed.
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Old 09-16-2019, 08:41 PM
 
5,644 posts, read 13,182,444 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nobodysbusiness View Post
The forms are a joke, but should be read - they are basically boilerplates that say *whomever* assumes no responsibility what-so-ever of any bad outcomes you may have.
Nope, nice try but that's not at all what informed consent does....

No one signs away their rights by signing a consent form if there is truly negligence the provider will still be held accountable regardless of a signed consent...

However no provider should be held accountable for "bad outcomes" that are out of anyone's control and are known risks of a given procedure even when everything is done "right"
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