The medical record. Informing your patients before they consent

In the language of medical liability, no concept has received as much misinterpretation as "informed consent." In the last five years, most medical liability carriers have experienced a significant increase in claims that allege failure to obtain a proper informed consent prior to treatment. The authors discuss forensic testing of the medical record and offer recommendations for record-keeping. These suggestions, if followed, will help establish the reliability of the record as an accurate reflection of the treatment of the patient in any given case.