Mdedge Psychcast

Bill Scheidler, MD, is assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He also is associate training director for the consultation-liaison fellowship at UNC and is a lead consultant at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough. Dr. Scheidler spoke with host Lorenzo Norris, MD, about how to think through patients’ decision-making capacity in medical (rather than psychiatric) hospitals. Neither Dr. Scheidler nor Dr. Norris have disclosures. Take-home points Decision-making capacity (DMC) is essential to informed consent, which is providing patients with the information necessary to make an informed decision about medical or surgical care. Standards differ, depending on the U.S. state. DMC has four components, as defined by Paul Appelbaum, MD, and colleagues: The ability to make and communicate a consistent choice The ability to understand the information provided about medical conditions and decisions The ability to appreciate the consequences of a choice The ability to reason