Design and implementation of an informed consent process before liver transplantation

In the past, the content of patient education was designed at the discretion of each individual transplant center and could vary greatly from center to center. Since the 2007 implementation of the guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, transplant centers have had to standardize the educational material they give to patients while generating an informed consent form to incorporate this required information. This article describes the development and use of an informed consent form and the educational process for potential liver transplant recipients at Columbia University Medical Center in adherence with the new regulations. This informed consent process can be used as a national model.