W3 Exploring Informed Consent

1

EXPLORING INFORMED CONSENT 5

Exploring Informed Consent

Informed consent is essentially a process that involves the education of a patient by the healthcare provider about the benefits, alternatives, and risks associated with a certain treatment, intervention, or procedure (Cocanour, 2017). Informed consent is usually required in almost all medical procedures and enables patients to engage in their medical care and choose the treatments or interventions they would like to receive (Cocanour, 2017). As such, informed consent promotes collaborative decision-making between the patients and the provider. Therefore, informed consent is considered a legal and ethical responsibility of the healthcare providers (Cocanour, 2017). Informed consent emanates from the patient’s right to receive all the pertinent information concerning treatments, interventions, and procedures and ask questions that would help them in deciding whether to refuse or accept them (Cocanour, 2017). Thus, informed consent enables the patient to decide whether to refuse or accept the intervention or treatment. The process of informed consent in healthcare settings comprises of various aspects that include; the ability of a patient to make an informed decision, explanation of the patient about the information that is required in the decision-making process, and the voluntary decision of the patient to receive the intervention or treatment (Cocanour, 2017). Some of the procedures that require informed consent in the healthcare setting include; blood transfusions, radiation, and most surgeries.

The purpose of informed consent is to ensure patient protection (Yu, Wijesekera & Costa, 2020). The process of informed consent emanates from the patients’ right to receive all the pertinent information concerning treatments, interventions, and procedures and ask questions that would help them in deciding whether to refuse or accept the interventions or treatments (Cocanour, 2017). As such, the consent form is recognized as a legal document indicating that the patient has been provided with all the required information by the healthcare provider about his/her medical condition and the available treatment options (Cocanour, 2017). Additionally, the consent form indicates the patient’s willingness to undertake the procedure, intervention, or treatment based on the provided information.

The informed consent agreement comprises of various components that include; the diagnosis of the patient’s condition, the name, and purpose of the intervention, treatment or procedure that is recommended by the healthcare provider, the risk and benefits associated with the recommended intervention, treatment, or procedure, and the other available options or alternatives and their associated risks and benefits (Cocanour, 2017). This information usually enables the patient to make an informed or educated decision concerning the procedures, interventions, or treatments they would like to receive.

Online psychotherapy is also referred to as teletherapy, e-counseling, or e-therapy and involves the provision or delivery of mental health services and the required support to individuals suffering from mental health problems via the internet (Kortz, 2017). The practice of online psychotherapy usually occurs through various online platforms that include; text messaging, internet phone, email, online chat, and video conferencing (Kortz, 2017). For instance, online psychotherapy may be provided in real-time through various communication channels like phone conversations and online chats (Kortz, 2017). It can also be provided in delayed time formats like email messages. online psychotherapy is associated with various benefits that include; easy accessibility, economical, and convenience (Kortz, 2017). For instance, online psychotherapy helps in eliminating the geographical barriers that hinder some individuals from accessing the needed mental health services (Kortz, 2017). Therefore, online psychotherapy may be an appropriate option for individuals who experience difficulties in accessing the needed mental health services.

References

Cocanour, C. S. (2017). Informed consent—It's more than a signature on a piece of paper. The American Journal of Surgery, 214(6), 993-997.

Kortz, L. (2017). Understanding the Working Alliance and Alliance Ruptures in Online Psychotherapy from the Therapist's Perspective. State University of New York at Albany.

Yu, B., Wijesekera, D., & Costa, P. C. G. (2020). Informed consent in healthcare: A study case of genetic services. In Data Analytics in Medicine: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 1222-1253). IGI Global.