Wondering if your office is going about Medical Consent forms the right way? Obtaining a properly completed medical consent form from patients is a critical task for staff. Consent forms are more than just random paperwork to fill out, and failure to acquire medical consent in the right way can result in legal repercussions and even a damaged practice reputation.
Medical consent forms are so vital that we’re going to discuss 5 tips to help you stay on top of the proper protocol for obtaining them.
Transparency
A lot of times, patients are not quite aware of the implications of procedures being done. When patients have a sound understanding, and are able to comprehend the treatment, there’s less chance of patient resentment or disgruntlement post-treatment.
Being a welcoming provider that encourages questions and engagement, gives patients the environment to better understand treatment procedures and important information for decision-making. Involving patients in a collaborative approach to Medical Consent forms makes them feel a part of the decision-making process, and communicates a better sense of transparency.
Potential Complications
When getting medical consent from patients, it’s important to convey the important potential complications. Providers want to be well-informed on what may arise post-treatment, and be able to communicate this knowledge to patients and other pertinent individuals.
Adverse reactions to treatments are real, and providers, team members, and patients want to be observant, and responsive if any issues should arise. Without properly relaying the information about potential side effects, or possible negative outcomes of treatment, patients and their family members may feel betrayed, and distraught if something unfortunate results from their procedure.
Alternative Options
Alternative treatment options are a vital part of the medical consent form. As the provider, you’re most aware of what options are available and suitable for your patient. Being able to explain this to your patients creates a sense of trust and reliability that otherwise might be missing.
A common example of this could be in the area of orthodontics. A teenager looking to get straighter teeth, but concerned about becoming self-conscious in the process, will benefit from knowing if Invisalign, lingual braces, or ceramic braces are an option.
Costs
How much will the patient need to pay out of pocket versus the amount of coverage by their insurance? This is the question every patient has, and will want a clear answer for prior to giving medical consent for a procedure. It’s critical to have an accurate report in advance, from their insurance provider, with clarity on coverage for the treatment.
Patients who are informed of out-of-pocket expenses that are beyond their capability may select to opt-out of, or lean towards an alternative treatment that has less cost incurred. Out-of-pocket expenses tend to be a determining factor for the vast majority of patients and should be properly conveyed upfront.
Digitization
Traditional paper Medical Consent Forms have been upgraded via digitization to save time and energy. Digital consent forms save 35% of documentation time and cut down 80% of patient waiting room time. Thousands of dental practices across the nation have turned to digital forms, and are loving how their front office operations are streamlined, and efficiency boosted multi-fold.
Digital Medical Consent Forms bring about countless advantages to dental practices including the following:
- Patients receive forms via text/email to complete remotely, and capture ID, insurance card, photo, medication list digitally
- No more scanning, printing, shredding, or manual data entry errors
- Integration into major practice management systems {Eaglesoft, Dentirx, Open Dental, and Dolphin}
- Customized and Branded forms
- Saves dental practices~$60,000 annually
- Eliminates office clutter and disorganization
Sample Consent Form
Medical consent forms are an essential part of the treatment process, and our goal is to make it easier for you. Our complimentary sample consent form has been useful for thousands of dental practices. Feel free to download and adjust it as needed to see if it works well for your office.
Note: We trust that you would not use this form for reselling or distribution.
Conclusion
Being able to obtain a properly completed medical consent form from patients is essential. In order for patients to provide informed consent, they’ll need providers to be transparent about the pros and cons, potential complications, alternative treatment options, and costs.
Giving patients an easy route to complete medical consent forms via digitization, improves their level of satisfaction, along with drastically better office efficiency and productivity.
mConsent has revolutionized the way 5000+ practices obtain consent by streamlining and integrating their forms digitally. Find out how you can optimize your dental practice with mConsent.
