Whenever you begin to experience symptoms that have left you feeling unwell, one of the first things you usually do is contact your health care provider. You may set up an appointment to be evaluated and receive insight into how you should combat your symptoms and regain your health. However, when the time comes to visit your doctor in Indiana, it is important to be familiar with what informed consent is, so you can be confident in your decision to receive treatment from your physician.
According to emedicinehealth.com, informed consent is when you give permission to your doctor for him or her to go through with prescribed treatments. You should be able to have an open and informative discussion with your doctor where you will be given detailed information about the procedure that is being recommended and the types of interactions you may expect. Your consent must be voluntary for your health care provider to go through with treatment. When procedures are especially risky or require invasive measures, written consent should be explicitly given to you before the scheduled treatment.
The only exception to informed consent is situations in which you require immediate medical attention in an emergency where you are incapable of communicating your desire. Additionally, if you are incapacitated, but do not have a long-term care plan in place, your health care provider may be able to make a decision about your treatment without direct consent from you.
The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice.