The Rational Clinical Examination
David L. Simel, Drummond Rennie
Medical Decision-Making Capacity
Laura L. Sessums, Hanna Zembrzuska, Jeffrey L. Jackson
Sections:
Clinical Scenario, Why Is the Clinical Examination Important?, Methods, Results, Scenario Resolution, Clinical Bottom Line, References
Topics Discussed:
clinical decision making, decision making, decisional capacity, incompetence, medical decision-making capacity
Excerpt:
"One of your patients, a 72-year-old woman,
comes to you for a preoperative evaluation for a total hip replacement.
Her medical history includes early-stage Alzheimer disease.
At a recent clinic visit, her husband noted his wife seemed more
forgetful, and on examination, her Mini-Mental State Examination
(MMSE) score was 21 out of 30 points. Today, you ask the patient
what she understands about the risks and benefits of the planned
procedure. She smiles and tells you it will fix her hip. When you
give her information about risks and alternative treatment options,
and query about her understanding, she continues to smile and replies, "It'll
be okay." You wonder whether she has the capacity to make
the decision to proceed with the operation...."
Log in to read the full chapter:
Get full access to JAMAevidence two ways:
Subscribe to JAMAevidence
JAMAevidence is a subscription-
based website dedicated to the learning, teaching, and practicing of evidence-based medicine.
Pay Per View
Timed access to all of JAMAevidence
24 hours for $29.95
48 hours for $49.95