consultation
High profile consent cases a
backdrop to consultation
The draft Consent
to Treatment
policy:
1. dvises physicians to consider
A
and address language and/
or communication issues that
may impede a patient’s ability
to give consent.
48
Dialogue Issue 4, 2014
on the revised draft policy.
The College’s draft Consent
to Treatment policy states that
patient autonomy and respect for
personal dignity are central to the
provision of ethically sound care.
In order to exercise this autonomy,
the draft policy recognizes that
patients have the moral and legal
right to make decisions regarding their treatment, or to have a
substitute decision-maker do so on
their behalf when they are incapable of making those decisions.
The draft policy sets out expectations of physicians regarding
consent to treatment and provides
guidance to physicians regarding
their legal and professional obligation to obtain consent prior to
providing treatment.
To read the full draft and provide feedback during our consultation, please visit our website at
www.cpso.on.ca.
3. equires physicians to
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engage in a dialogue with
the patient and/or substitute
decision-maker when
providing information about
the proposed treatment,
and not only rely on the use
of supporting documents,
including consent forms.
4. equires physicians to take
R
reasonable steps to facilitate
the comprehension of the
information shared.
5. rovides more specific
P
direction regarding the
documentation of consent
to treatment.
photo: istockphoto.com
R
ecently, the issue of
consent to treatment
has been getting
much attention in
mainstream media. For example,
in the United States, an investigation into Joan Rivers’ death found
that her physicians did not obtain
consent for the treatment that may
have played a role in her death.
And here in Ontario, there have
been back-to-back cases where
parents have refused cancer treatment for their children, preferring
to pursue traditional aboriginal
medicine instead.
This media attention has created
a heightened awareness regarding issues relating to consent to
treatment. In a timely coincidence,
the College’s current Consent to
Medical Treatment policy is under review in accordance with the
regular policy review cycle, and the
College is now seeking feedback
2. equires physicians to
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respect patients’ or substitute
decision-makers’ decisions to
refuse, withhold or withdraw
consent even if the physician
does not agree with the
decision.