CMS issues informed consent guidance for hospitals

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week revised its guidelines to clarify the need to obtain informed consent from patients before APRN students, medical students and other students perform important surgical tasks or sensitive or invasive procedures or examinations. The procedures include breast, pelvic, prostate and rectal examinations, particularly on anesthetized patients. The guidelines clarify hospitals need to set clear guidelines to ensure providers and trainees performing these examinations first obtain and document informed consent from patients in all circumstances. (CMS’ Hospital Interpretive Guidelines for Informed Consent, 4/1/24)