Forget the fine print! No print is an option.

Forget the fine print! No print is an option.

Today I had a new medical trust experience. The hospital has a signing device. A little electronic device with a signature line. I had to initial that I was there. Initial that I had received their policy book, which they pointed to but did not hand to me, and sign the consent.
Me: What am I consenting to?
Receptionist: Our treatment.
Me; What does the consent form say?
Receptionist: That we can do the treatment.
Me: I don't see it.
This time she doesn't point. She looks at me like I'm the non-trusting person that I am with obvious disbelief.
Me (con't): Could I see the consent form?
More disbelief.
Receptionist: We do have one.
Me: Could I get a copy?
High drama, sigh, shrug of shoulders, another sigh, walk to file cabinet, pull out consent form, hand to me.
I read the consent form. It's pretty generic and there is nothing that I would cross out (I've crossed out and initialed many lines in previous hospital consent forms).
Me: Thank you.
Receptionist impatiently waits for me to finish reading the two-page form.
I sign on the electronic device.

The assumptive close taken to new heights!

So it seems that at Legacy Health most patients do not receive a copy of their consent form. Only the patients with a history of medical not-quite-on-target diagnoses, reporting, and prescriptions--

*incorrect cancer diagnosis and with suggested leg amputation told to eight-year-old
*brain anomaly diagnosed as multiple flu episodes
*apply Quell to eyes for lice
*suicidal thought inducing drug prescription with frightening resulting side effect (not in U.S. but still happened)
*prescription for drug that causes racing heart as a side effect to someone with aortic anomaly and risk of sudden heart death
*phone call reporting no cancer. Caller aksed to read report. Oops! Cancer.
etc.--

ask for a copy of and read the document to be signed.

The medical world has a long way to go in building trust.


#trust