Informed consent

Abstract

Informed consent refers to the process by which physicians and patients engage in a dialogue to explain and comprehend the nature, risks, and alternatives of a procedure or course of therapy. Historical perspectives include the groundbreaking case of Salgo v. Leland Stanford Jr. University Board of Trustees which established Informed Consent as a legal and moral duty. Subsequent court rulings refined the legal concepts from professional to patient-oriented standards. The basis of comprehensive informed consent rests with a recognition and respect for patient autonomy, transparency, selective emphasis, shared decision making, and beneficent persuasion. The goal of this chapter is to consider guidelines that will better inform the process of informed consent based on empirically derived scientific data that physicians can use to enhance enlightened communication between families and the health care team.