What a signature adds to the consent process

Abstract

Although it may be viewed as primarily serving to protect the doctor and hospital, the formal process of signing written consent forms appeals to patients and staff.

The Informed Consent: A Study of the Efficacy of Informed Consents and the Associated Role of Language Barriers

“…1 Even though patients routinely sign consent forms, only a limited amount of reports study the validity and effectiveness of them, particularly pertaining to the patient's understanding of possible complications associated with their procedure. 2 Reports on patients' level of understanding have shown wide variations from 50% of patients displaying an adequate level of understanding to 100% of patients having the ability to recall information presented in consent forms. 3,4 Confounding the issue of the efficacy of informed consents is the growing population of patients who do not speak English.…”

Quality Criteria for a Good Screening Colonoscopy

“…This face-to-face meeting should be regarded as best practice and, along with additional printed information sent to the participant for a record of documentation (postal consent), forms the basis of the consent process and medicolegal risk reduction. There is some evidence that when this type of communication is followed by written or signed consent, it may improve the participant's perception of autonomy while protecting the colonoscopist and hospital [10] and may have an impact on the participant's knowledge, satisfaction, anxiety, and adherence [11].…”

Informed consent-‘da Vinci code’ for our safety in empowered patient’s safety

“…It deserves much more effort from us than we think [8]. This should help in alleviating many of the uncomfortable questions raised in the study [6]. This should help the society come out of an impression of George Bernard Shaw's ''The Doctor's Dilemma''.…”

“…The article by Neary et al [6] addresses the issue of informed consent in a basic manner, raising some very pertinent and disturbing questions that demand a response. It reminds us that ''informed consent'' is not truly informative, participative, and voluntary from the patient's perspective, or why would a significant number of them view it as a ''disclaimer''?…”

“…Like a silver lining to every cloud, the study by Neary et al [6] shows that women see ''informed consent'' as an empowering tool. The very fact that the fair half of humanity sees it as such and believes in it with so much faith indicates the potency of this instrument for us, provided its contents reflect our honesty.…”