ABSTRACT
There are two types of consents. The first involves granting permission for the doctor to do standard tests or procedures. This is a general consent fully indicating that the patient approves and permits routine office or hospital procedures like an examination, laboratory tests, or x-rays, if needed. The second type of consent is informed consent where the patient is told of the inherent material risks, complications, and side effects of complex medical tests or procedures including surgery, chemotherapy, endoscopy, etc. Obtaining the patient’s general consent for routine office procedures and their informed consent for more complicated ones is consistent both with the physician’s ethical duties and the physician-patient contract. Disclosures by any billing company, accountants, and/or business associates must be made along with the date and reason for disclosure. The patient cannot be charged for the first accounting.
