Capacity Assessment in Emergency Surgery
Selwyn O. Rogers, Darren S. Bryan
Journal of Clinical Ethics, Fall 2023; 34(3) pp 270-272
Abstract
Informed consent is a necessary component of the ethical practice of surgery. Ideally, consent is performed in a setting conducive to a robust patient-provider conversation, with careful consideration of risks, benefits, and outcomes. For patients with medical or surgical emergencies, navigating the consent process can be complicated and requires both careful and expedited assessment of decision-making capacity. We present a recent case in which a patient in need of emergency care refused intervention, requiring urgent capacity assessment and a modification to usual care.
Capacity Assessment in Emergency Surgery
Center for Informed Consent Integrity 