Tips and Pearls on Consent Forms for Surgical and Cosmetic Procedures in Dermatology #PACPearls

-
The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) shares tips and advice for optimizing consent forms for surgical and cosmetic procedures in dermatology.

Include Patient Discussions in Office Notes

Don’t forget that a form may not always protect you. It is just as important, if not more, to include the discussion you had with the patient in your office note. The patient can always claim that they didn’t read a form that was put in front of them.
- Mark Kaufmann, MD


Focus on Patient Dialogue

More important than a signed consent form, is a dialogue with the patient to convey the risks, benefits and alternatives of a procedure or intervention, and determining that the patient understands the dialogue as it is pertinent to them.
Also, consider having a witness print their name and sign as well as the patient on the consent form.
- Monica Li, MD, FRCPC, FAAD


Increase Patient Compliance after a New Procedure

Give patients a follow up call the day after a new procedure. This can be delegated out to office staff if needed. Patients usually have questions or concerns the day after experiencing a new procedure and they always really appreciate the call. This simple step increases patient compliance with post procedure instructions, decreases incoming patient calls to the office and patient complaints, improves outcomes, and sets you apart from other providers that wouldn’t take the time to do this.
- Jeanette Black, MD


Use Simple Consistent Phrasing

Phrase in simple language with the patient in first person and divide out into two categories: 
“I will have ...” and “I may experience ...”
Add the exact same phrasing to patient after visit summary/after care instructions and the notes to keep things consistent. 
- Lori Fiessinger, MD

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Message from the President

-
Image
    Dear WDS family, When I gave my speech at the annual meeting, my mission was to focus on creating opportunities for equity for women in leadership and life. Sharing my personal trials and tribulations, I envision us continuing to grow together, learning from, and supporting one another. A little over halfway through the year and I am proud to say that we started this important work. Recently partnering with the AAD, we invited all our sister societies to a think tank about women in leadership and opportunities for inclusivity and equity. The meeting was exciting, inspiring, and laid the groundwork for this important work. In the coming months we plan to bring opportunities for you to get involved in this work and to grow with us.   On a personal note, I welcomed my little one, Olivia Sophia, and while the road to having her and the postpartum course were rocky to say the least, she is my own personal miracle. This reminds me that we need to celebrate one another and continu
Read more

7 Easy Habits to Conquer Public Speaking

-
Image
    By Dr. Azeen Sadeghian   Public speaking can be daunting, but with preparation and the right outlook, it’s possible to execute a notable delivery. Listed below are some high yield tips I’ve found helpful for public speaking. 1.       Know your audience a.       This includes location, the listener capacity, and current situation of the audience. For example, a group of lay people with no medical education may come to a talk for “anti-aging” tips. Another group may be 3rd year residents looking to prepare for their boards and wanting exam tips. Location in the sense of time and venue is important to consider. For example, a postprandial student population may have a harder time focusing during an academic talk in a dark lecture hall. b.       What is the one objective or item you want your audience to take away from your talk? Make it clear to them throughout the talk. You may have additional objectives and items for your audience if you have an academic talk. If this is t
Read more