QUESTION:
Our hospital is considering adopting a standard, universal consent form for patients, or their representatives, to review and sign upon admission to our intensive care unit. This form will include a list of several commonly performed invasive procedures on the unit.  What are the benefits and potential problems with universal consent?

OUR ANSWER FROM HORTYSPRINGER ATTORNEY MARY PATERNI:
This is an interesting question.  Universal, or “bundled,” consent can be an efficient means to obtain permission to perform common procedures in the intensive care unit ahead of their indicated need.  By obtaining informed consent for common procedures upon admission, the hospital’s intensive care unit may see an increase in documented informed consent, as well as a swifter response time to emergent events that require one or several procedures listed on the signed form.

In addition, obtaining universal consent at the outset can afford patients and their family members greater opportunity to dialogue with the physician regarding each of the procedures listed on the consent form and can better align these anticipated procedures with the patient’s goals of care.  Overall, this practice may serve as an efficient alternative to obtaining per-procedure consent in haste or performing a procedure without the patient’s express consent.

However, there is a difference between merely asking the patient to sign-off on a laundry list of procedures and engaging in an informed discussion with the patient regarding each procedure and its risks, benefits, and alternatives.  If it is the hospital’s practice to do the former, then there may be cause for concern that the patient, or their representative, is not providing actual informed consent.  In addition, expecting universal consent immediately upon admission for procedures that may occur could prove overwhelming, upsetting, or stressful to the patient or their representative.  Therefore, when considering whether to adopt universal consent forms, it is important to ensure that patient understanding, patient goals, and good bedside manner are not compromised as a result of the appeal of efficient documentation and expeditious care.