Geriatric Quick Consult      Decision-making Capacity      Do #7

Involve a witness, whether in person or on the telephone

Knowledge

Action

A physician must be the one to obtain consent. When you are proceeding to obtain informed consent, make sure there is a witness. The witness may be any other licensed health professional. If consent is being obtained by telephone, use a connection that allows three parties on the line simultaneously. This provides a second person that can verify that the person giving consent understood or seemed to understand the relevant issues. The witness should be present during the consent procedure and should not simply sign the consent form after the fact.

A physician must always obtain the informed consent, and be backed by a witness (another health care professional).