Blank consent to release forms

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Your input please:

What do you think about asking patients to sign a blank consent form at admission; one that does not indicate a recipient for information. So the form says I authorize my entire medical record to be released to : ____________________ . No name is indicated as it will be filled out later, probably by a social worker who is making discharge arrangements. I should add that this form is being presented to children 14+ in psych.

In addition the form has boxes checked off for yes or no as to the release of std information, mental health information, and drug/alcohol information. It is expected that the mental health info and drug/alcohol info be checked yes, as this is a psych facility.

Would you do this? If not, how would go about handling it?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

There are so many things wrong wth this. Does your facility have a Risk Management department?

I would ask my manager if this could be a HIPAA violation if patient information is given to someone unintended by the patient. HIPAA is taken seriously. I would then follow with "How would you like me to handle this?" which puts the ethical decision on the manager.

[chare]

Personally I wouldn't witness this. As the form hasn't been properlly completed I don't see how informed can be given. Would you complete a surgical procedure if the performing provider was left blank? I don't see much difference between tje two.

While I'm unsure whether this would costitute a HIPAA violation, I agree with Nurse Beth that this is a question for your Risk Management department.

[Scottishtape]

This is the very opposite of informed consent. You *cannot* consent to releasing records if you don't know who you're giving them to.

This smacks of not only being unethical, but illegal as well.

To answer your question: I would I refuse to utilize this document and I would bring it up my chain of command until it was removed from circulation. If that didn't work, I would report the facility to the state.

I would feel like I wouldn't be doing my job as these patient's advocate if I participated in this and/or allowed them to basically be denied informed consent.

[Jolie, BSN]

Wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

Who is being asked to sign this form? Patients as young as 14 who probably can not legally give consent? Or their parents who are possibly too stressed at the time of admission to understand or question what they are being asked to sign?

And what is the urgency (at admission) to sign release of records? That can and should be addressed as the need arises during the patient stay or as discharge approaches.