Informed Consent: What Is It & Why Does It Matter? Let’s say a medical treatment has been recommended for you. What does your doctor actually have to inform you about with regard to that medical treatment? As a patient you have the right to make informed decisions on any medical procedures done to your body that are recommended to you. It is important to know that a doctor should always disclose all material risks that may be involved in that procedure. This is the principal known as “Informed Consent.”
If you ever need to receive medical treatment for a condition, if you are capable, ask the doctor specific question about the recommended treatment. Have him or her explain the procedure and any risks that may be involved. Make sure you ask questions like “how will you feel after the procedure,” or “what complication are associated with the medical procedure,” and “what signs and symptoms will I experience for each of those complications should they occur.”
In order for you to make an informed consent about any medical procedure, you need to take an active role in making sure you are informed. This means asking questions until you and the doctor are completely informed with everything associated about the procedure and your concerns.
Medical Malpractice Considerations
Lack of informed consent can lead to a serious claim of medical malpractice should anything go wrong in the course of the medical treatment or procedure.
Most of the time medical care given to a patient is usually excellent. Unfortunately, there are those times when medical care that was provided just doesn’t seem to have been performed correctly. If you believe a medical treatment that you or a family member have received was negligent, then you will want to consult with a Syracuse medical malpractice lawyer who specifically handles those types of cases in order to help you investigate as to whether the medical care and/or treatment that was provided was provided appropriately. The personal injury attorneys at McMahon, Kublick & Smith in Syracuse have helped individuals as well as their families recover significant monetary damages in these difficult injury cases.