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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
John D. Kelly IV, MD
CUTTING REMARKS
(Mis) Informed Consent
Apprise patients of the reasonable risks
of a procedure without scaring them to death.
H
onesty is the best policy. I'm a big believer in that. So, yes, we
should apprise patents who elect to have surgery of the pros
and cons of each procedure. I do lament, however, that the
consent process has degraded into a nitpicking, catastrophizing and
excessively legalese document.
•
Nitpicking.
If I had a dime for every time I was called for an incom-
plete consent, I'd be in the Virgin Islands on the second tee … now.
Common reasons for being reprimanded include:
q Failing to write out the words LEFT and RIGHT. The letter 'L' no longer
suffices and is grounds for a sharp reproof by the PACU nurse. Next thing
you know I'll be forced to write out 'DOCTOR KELLY' instead of 'DR. K' Do I
OVERKILL? Is our informed
consent process a bit much?
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