Psychiatrists' documentation of informed consent: a representative survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Documentation
• Informed Consent
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Informed consent is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice.
• Documentation of the informed consent process ensures patient autonomy and legal protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review psychiatrists' documentation practices for informed consent.
• To assess Canadian psychiatrists' attitudes toward documenting informed consent.

Main Methods:

• A stratified random sample of Ontario psychiatrists was surveyed.
• A mailed self-report questionnaire was used to collect data.

Main Results:

• The response rate was 72%.
• 63% of psychiatrists routinely documented the informed consent process.
• Younger psychiatrists reported higher rates of documentation compared to older psychiatrists.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist in self-reported documentation behaviors between younger and older psychiatrists.
• Psychiatrists are encouraged to consistently document the informed consent process in clinical records.