Informed Consent | Bermuda Hospitals Board
Informed consent is a process of communication between a patient and physician that results in the patient’s authorization or agreement to undergo a specific medical intervention.
The Bermuda Hospitals Board requires all patients to sign a General Consent Form prior to receiving treatment. This form addresses the rights of patients to make informed decisions relating to their care, including the right to refuse or discontinue treatment.
The General Consent Form is, in effect, a permission slip from the patient to BHB granting permission to perform medical service. This may include but is not limited to: giving medications, assessments, examinations and other non-invasive procedures considered routine in providing patient care.
Patients are under no obligation to sign the General Consent Form. However, if you choose not to sign the form, it indicates that you do not want BHB to provide medical service to you.
A signed and witnessed consent form is required by law before any surgical procedure.
The physician providing or performing the treatment and/or procedure will disclose and discuss with you:
- Your diagnosis
- What procedure is to be done and why
- Risks and benefits of the procedure and the likelihood of either occurring
- Other treatment options and their associated risks and benefits
- How your information will be kept confidential
In turn, you will have an opportunity to ask questions to elicit a better understanding of the treatment or procedure, time to consider your options and to review the consent form prior to signing.