Implementing ChiroSecure Informed Consent 866-802-4476 www.chirosecure.com The best, most conscientious and responsible doctors of chiropractic, applying the highest standards and most established procedures and protocols, can still be named in a malpractice claim. This is a fact of professional life in a litigious society. One of the easiest strategies to protect yourself from a possible malpractice claim is the use of the Informed Consent Process. If a malpractice claim is made and it is found that the informed consent form was not discussed and signed off on, you may be found liable even if your care was entirely professional. This type of exposure is very serious and entirely avoidable. You can help better protect yourself from certain causes of action—the basis upon which a malpractice claim is made. In the absence of the informed consent process - should an adverse event occur - the lack of informed consent by itself can be a cause of action. You can help remove this cause of action by implementing informed consent, maintaining good documentation and improving your doctor/patient communication. Here are a few key points to consider when implementing an Informed Consent in your office: 1. All new and existing patients should complete the Informed Consent. Advise all existing patients that you are simply updating their patient information. You may want to include additional information to be completed at the same time. Example: list medications, supplements etc., or any new medical history. 2. Make this a standard part of your intake process. You should include a written Informed Consent as a standard part of your intake paperwork. If your form is properly worded, you should only need to obtain this once from a patient. Some offices will have the consent as part of their electronic office management system. Others use traditional paper forms for the patient to sign. You should have the patient sign and date the Informed Consent. You should maintain the signed copy of the Informed Consent in the patient’s file and should also provide the patient a copy of the consent document they signed. 3. Obtain the Informed Consent before care is provided. Be sure that you obtain a written Informed Consent before any care or evaluation / diagnosis is conducted. This applies across the board for ALL patients – new and existing, unless an appropriate consent has already been obtained. You are seeking an authorization from the patient to proceed with the necessary examination and treatment procedures. The consent should be revisited if your recommendations involve non-standard treatment modalities. 4. Be open and informative with patients. During the doctor/patient consultation, the Chiropractor should review the consent, ask if there are any questions and respond. The conversation should be in layman's terms and the patient should have the opportunity to ask questions and gain clarification. The patient records should be noted indicating the patient was provided with an informed consent, it was reviewed with the patient by the chiropractor and questions asked by the patient and how they were responded to should be documented. Always be prepared with facts and research.
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