Assessment of Knowledge and Awareness about Consent among Medical Practitioners in a Tertiary Care Hospital – A Questionnaire based Study

Abstract

Introduction: The medicine being a moral profession, the relationship of doctor and patient entailsthe highest conceivable degree of trust and fidelity. Good bedside manner, technical competency andcommunication skills are the physician’s behaviors most strongly associated with patient trust. The changingmedical practice of the 20th century has given place to patient’s autonomy and informed consent. Consentis not mere submission of the patient to a particular treatment, but a process of communication requiringthe fulfilment of certain established elements like competence, sufficient disclosure, understanding andvolunteering. However, less attention has been paid to the implications of obtaining informed consent, fromthe physicians’ perspective. Considering the above fact, the study was undertaken to assess the knowledgeand awareness about informed consent among medical practitioners in a tertiary care hospital.Materials and Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was undertaken in 100medical practitioners during May 2020 to July 2020.Results: It was observed that most of the participants were aware and had sufficient knowledge aboutinformed consent, but the law related to consent and other inner details of informed consent in medicalpractice were lacking.Conclusion: We concluded that medical institutions, various medical associations and medico-legal bodiesmust conduct regular medico legal training programmes, continuum medical education programmes,seminars and workshops and must be made mandatory to participate actively for all medical practitioners toupdate their knowledge related to consent in medical practice and law related to medical practice.