Doctors legal form

[MAGNUMpi]

Hi All,

Does anyone have a scanned copy of the legal form that the doctor had you sign?

Or can you remember what it said?

I hear about them, and know that the docs give them on the day of surgery but I think it would be smart to review one with enough time to fully understand it.

Anybody?

[MAGNUMpi]

Nobody?

I am just wondering what this legal form covers. Don't they give it on the day of surgery?

It would be good to know what I'm getting ready to sign before I'm in the chair.

[gillenator]

magnum,

 

You are on the right track. Most patients and I do mean "most of them" do not even see these legal documents until the day of surgery. And I still hear from guys who did not have these docs presented to them until "after" they were pre-opped (medicated).

 

The first form is usually the "surgery contract" between you the patient and the doctor/clinic providing the service. It spells out the terms of the procedure, the price, acceptable methods of payment and any other charges related to the procedure and follow-up care and supplies when applicable. There may be some post-op instructions provided but most clinics go over these with the patient when they are checked out and released post-op.

 

The other forms basically give the doctor, the clinic, and its personnel the written permission to perform the surgical procedure on you denoting a specific date. It is a consent form, period.

 

They will also have pre-surgical warnings and disclosures of any and all possibilities including "death". The disclosures basically disclaim any and all liability that could potentially arise in the event something goes wrong or some event 'outside" of their control. They are intended to "release and hold harmless" those involved in the procedure now and into the future indefinitely.

 

They basically disclaim the end result meaning, they do not guarantee the result, period. Some clinics provide some level of regrowth guarantee but they are far and few between. Most independent reputable doctors will guarantee the regrowth but it never hurts to have this stated in the paperwork.

 

These disclosures/disclaimers are ceratinly not new nor an uncommon practice in any surgical procedure including things like having one's appendix removed, open heart surgery, kidney stones, and the like.

 

Even some oral surgeons now use them believe it or not. But you will always see them used in any field of cosmetic surgery.

 

Many clinics/surgeons do not want their patients to see these forms prior to surgery because they tend to invoke many questions and concerns prior to surgery even to the point of the patient cancelling. And again I am referring to moreso the field of elective surgery.

 

There are a few that have them available at their websites for reviewal and download.

 

Hope this has been helpful to you as this information that I have provided cannot be construed as legal advice and clearly I am not an attorney nor attempting to practice law, it's more related to my past experience working inside the clinics.

 

Best wishes to you magnum and any others who may be wondering the same thing.

[gobble]

Don't see them until after they were given the valium? That certainly didn't happen to me. I would think there would be ethical issues with that.

 

The consent form is meaningless imo. No doctor is going to do it without one (in the US at least) and no patient is not going to have the procedure because of the language.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Gobble is correct. I prefer to do the consent before the day of the surgery if possible. Hence, all overseas guys arrive a day before for planning AND consents. For local guys, if people sign up the day of their consultation, we do it then, and then go over it briefly again before valium on the day of surgery. For those who call back in and sign up, I offer people to come in before the day of surgery to do consents and pick up prescriptions, but practically nobody does that unless they live really close to the office. Rather, we discuss it in detail, then draw the surgical plan, then take pics, and THEN take valium.

 

At least 2 times a month, after getting going for a few hours, someone under the influence of valium will ask for a change in the hairline or plan...and we don't change once valium is on-board. People just don't make good decisions under valium or other relaxers plus, usually the swelling is asymetric leading patients to question the look. We stick to the lines drawn pre-valium and pre-injection, and that tends to be both an honest and reliable way of conducting business.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Spanker]

Janna with SMG posted a copy of theirs on here. I think it was on a topic I started but I can't remember.

[TakingThePlunge]

Here is the thread that Spanker started where Janna shares Shapiro Medical's consent form.

 

Are any doctors on this site willing to post their disclaimers?

[gillenator]

I appreciate the comments made by Dr. Lindsey. His approach is totally ethical. Especially when it comes to patients wanting to change the plan "after" being pre-opped with sedatives.

 

And his comments about patients wanting to wait to see the paperwork until the day of surgery is for the most part true. Generally speaking, it's when something goes wrong that patients begin to read the fine print. That's not a slam on patients, "it's more human nature".

 

Again my suggestion would be to have the paperwork available at their websites or at least to email them to patients before surgery. Whether they read them ahead of time or not is not the point. It is making them available "before surgery" demonstrates an indisputable effort to inform them beforehand.

 

And yes the practice of consent after medicating still goes on out there. And in same cases the patient is being "sold up" to a higher graft count after being pre-opped as well. I still hear of some guys having to reach for their credit card while they are being sold up in the OR!

[Sparky]

Would it not be a good idea, to see a copy of these forms before the deposit is paid?

[Janna]

When we send out our pre-op packet, a copy of the consent form is included so that our patients can read it over before their surgery day.

 

Sparky, I would think all clinics will provide a copy if patients ask.

[MAGNUMpi]

Thanks All,

When we send out our pre-op packet, a copy of the consent form is included so that our patients can read it over before their surgery day.

Thanks Janna. That is really nice to hear.

Thanks gillenator for your experience.

M.

[Sparky]

Sparky, I would think all clinics will provide a copy if patients ask.

 

Well that's good, but would they know to ask for it? What I mean is, how would newbie's know they exist?

[gillenator]

You are welcome MAGNUMpi, trust me, not all clinics provide these forms before surgery whether the big chains oreven some independents. The big chains will not release these disclosures as a rule.

 

Sparky, you are correct my friend, the newbies do not know any better to ask so quite frankly, they simply do not know. Especially true for the late night TV patient who gets lured in by those endless late night infomericals or they get lured by the unknown surgeon's local display advertising that they typically run in the major newspaper's sports page, etc, etc. We have a local HT surgeon who has practiced a heavy radio advertising campaign almost every year denoting cheap graft prices. He is basically unkown in the online community yet is an active member with the ISHRS for years. He's been around forever and yet the work and techniques are IMHO well behind the best.

 

They typically target those patients who do no internet research but thank goodness for communities like these that will provide the patient with the information they need beforehand.

 

Thank you HTN for allowing patients to be educated from all points of view including the risks along with the benefits.

Edited September 21, 2012 by gillenator

[Bill - Seemiller]

MAGNUMpi,

 

Thanks for creating this valuable post. You've already received some valuable input, especially by Gillenator. However, I wanted to provide some of my input as well.

 

This has been a topic of discussion on this forum before. By default, many clinics don't provide their patients with the consent forms until the day of surgery. However, in my opinion, these forms should be provided much earlier (as early as possible) and certainly by request if a patient asks to see them. In my opinion, the patient has the right to know in advance what their agreeing to even before they make the initial deposit when they schedule.

 

I also agree that many patients don't seem to care about the fine print unless there's a concern about the procedure and/or results. And while today's hair transplantation in the hands of a skilled surgeon is highly successful, I strongly advise all prospective patients considering hair transplant surgery to discuss all relevant details about the procedure (including the consent form) with their surgeon before committing to undergo hair transplant surgery. This should include a discussion about the physician's/clinic's policies on handling less than optimal results (growth, scarring, other complications, etc.)

 

Best wishes in restoring your hair,

 

Bill

[gillenator]

Good points by Bill especially discussing what resolutions can be agreed upon "beforehand" in case the result is less than acceptable.

 

And the very best doctors will stand behind their work!

[MAGNUMpi]

I strongly advise all prospective patients considering hair transplant surgery to discuss all relevant details about the procedure (including the consent form) with their surgeon before committing to undergo hair transplant surgery. This should include a discussion about the physician's/clinic's policies on handling less than optimal results (growth, scarring, other complications, etc.)

Words of wisdom that I will remember. Thanks Bill.

[Ryno062867]

Hey Spanker,

 

How was your experience with Dr. Konior? Is your donor scar visible? How many days did it take for you to be able to go out in the public without anybody noticing? I hope all is well.

 

Ryno

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Some clinics provide a copy of the consent form with the pre-op packet and some do not. However, they must give it to the prospective patient if requested. Most consent forms for hair transplantation surgery are very similar. I do think it is a good idea for the patient to look it over prior to the day of surgery when they might be very nervous and/or anxious.

[Sean]

I think every doctor has a differnt consent form. They should be given prior to deposit and booking when a prospective patient initially requests a pamphlet/brochure. Once you pay that non refundable deposit and disagree with what is on the form or if it goes against what we learned on forums, how do you back out? I think creating a thread with consent form questions kind of like Mickey's fue thread to inform forum members of what type of questions are on consent forms is ideal. If you say no to any consent question, a doctor can refuse you and not refund you the day of surgery, that's especially if you see the form the day of surgery, for the first time.