● Watch for emotional responses that indicate stress, fear, frustration, or anger. Respond with strategies to give clarification and assistance to address these reactions for a positive outcome. ● Review all available information on the client prior to the first session to be as informed as possible to address clients’ unique needs. ● Be aware of cultural differences that may influence effective communication with clients. Key principles include the following (Sohnen-Moe, 2022): ● Informed consent is always specific : The goal of the informed consent process is to ensure that clients have an opportunity to be informed participants in decisions about their healthcare. To achieve that goal, practitioners must explain the patient’s condition and inform the patient about treatment options and alternatives, including the risks and benefits of each, providing the information that a “reasonable person” in similar circumstances would want to know when making the treatment decision. A key element of the process is that practitioners explain why they believe recommended treatments or procedures will be more beneficial than alternatives in the context of the patient’s diagnosis. Thus, informed consent is always specific: to the individual patient, the clinical situation, and the recommended plan of care or recommended treatment(s) or procedure(s). ● Consent for multiple treatments : However, to say that consent is always specific is not the same as saying that separate consent is always required for every episode of repeated treatment. When the plan of care for a given diagnosis involves repeated treatments or procedures, practitioners should ensure that patients understand that they are consenting to multiple episodes of treatment. Separate consent is not required for each individual episode. If a patient’s condition changes enough to warrant a change in the care plan, the practitioner must explain to the patient how the situation has changed, establish goals of care in light of the new situation, recommend a new plan of care, and obtain informed consent for the new plan or for specific treatment(s) or procedure(s) now recommended. ● Notification versus consent : Informed consent also differs from “notification,” that is, providing general information relevant to clients’ participation in healthcare. Similarly, patients entering a healthcare
facility must be notified that their records will be used for purposes of routine healthcare operations. Likewise, patients should be notified that their information may be used for quality improvement purposes to enable the organization to fulfill its obligation to monitor the quality of care it delivers and to carry out quality improvement activities for the benefit of all clients. Notification informs clients not only about their rights but also about organizational activities and processes that shape how care is delivered. Like informed consent, notification serves the goal of respecting clients as autonomous agents. Informed consent should (Sohnen-Moe, 2022): ● Explain patients’ condition and diagnosis clearly and concisely, in language they can understand. ● Inform the patient about the recommended treatment(s) or procedure(s), including: ○ The name, nature, and details of the recommended treatment(s) or procedure(s). ○ Indications for the recommended course of action. ○ Likelihood of success of the recommended treatment(s) or procedure(s) for this patient. ● Describe the expected benefits and known risks of the recommended treatment(s) or procedure(s). ● Describe reasonable alternatives to the recommended treatment(s) or procedure(s), including the expected benefits and known risks of each alternative. ● Identify the practitioners who will be involved in performing the treatment or procedure. ● Advise the patient if the recommended treatment or procedure is novel or unorthodox. ● Encourage the patient to ask questions. Self-Assessment Quiz Question #2 An informed consent statement on a massage therapist’s Intake Form might include: a. Clients cannot ask the therapist to diagnose medical conditions. b. Clients do not need to consult their physicians for ongoing medical conditions. c. Clients should receive massage therapy as a substitute for a physician’s care. d. Clients can consult the therapist before making significant changes to their exercise regime.
INTAKE INTERVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION
● Practitioner’s area of expertise, philosophy, and/or approach to massage. ● Fees and service schedule. ● Payment terms. ● Filing procedures for written complaints. ● A right to information statement, asserting the client’s right to the following information: ○ Practitioner’s assessment of the client’s physical condition. ○ Recommended treatment, estimated duration of treatment, and expected results. ○ Copy of client’s health forms/records held by practitioner. ● Statement of confidentiality. ● Statement of refusal, explaining the client’s right to terminate a course of treatment at any time and choose a new practitioner. ● Clients’ right to invoke, which explains a client’s right to invoke their autonomy without fear of reprisal.
Clients should fill out a formal intake form on their first visit that includes (Ashton, 2010): ● Client’s name, address, and telephone or other contact number(s). ● Reason for visit. ● Medical history. ● Insurance/payment methods (if applicable). ● Emergency contact information. The client should also sign and date the following statements: ● Release of medical records. ● Notice of informed consent with scope of practice and its limitations. ● Client’s bill of rights. A client’s bill of rights typically includes the following information (Thompson, 2018): ● Name of practitioner. ● Details of practitioner certification and list of credentials.
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Book Code: MFL1225B
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