Informed Consent for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A View of Endoscopists in Croatia

Background/Aim: Practice of obtaining informed consent before undertaking any endoscopic examination indicate there are many differences and deficiencies in this process. The aim of this study was to get insight to the view of gastrointestinal endoscopists' in Croatia, in regard to obtaining a patient's consent, formally or informally, as a key aspect of their medical practice in gastroenterology.

Methods: During 2004 Annual meeting of Croatian Society of Gastroenterology, endoscopists who were attending the meeting were asked to answer a two-part questionnaire. The first part included questions relating to endoscopist's affiliation, endoscopic experience and education in field of medical ethics. The second part focused on nature and quality of information given to patients before the endoscopic procedure. The endoscopists were asked to answer according to common clinical practice in institutions they were affiliated to.

Results: The questionnaire was distributed to 98 endoscopists attending the meeting and response rate was 57% (56/98). According to endoscopists' answers, in over 50% of institutions the obtained consent was not written and potential complications of endoscopic procedures are occasionally given to the patient. In minority of cases the patient is provided with information about alternative diagnostic tests and/or treatment options, and the information about mortality rate was almost never discussed.

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that despite of crucial importance of patient's informed consent for endoscopic procedures, according to endoscopists' view, the nature of procedure, its benefits and risks together with alternative test and treatment options are insufficiently disclosed to the patients.