The patient's MRI is tomorrow morning. The radiology team needs the consent form signed before the slot is confirmed. The patient lives forty miles away and can't come in just to sign.
Electronic consent is exactly the case it was made for.
Use a maintained template
Your consent form should be a polished PDF template with the procedure-specific risk disclosures. Customise only the patient's name, the procedure name, and the date. Convert from Word once and reuse for every patient undergoing that procedure.
Send for signature
Use sign PDF to drop signature, date, and any initial fields. Email the link to the patient. They open it on a phone, read the disclosure, sign, and submit. The signed PDF and audit trail land in your inbox immediately. The MRI slot stays in the diary.
Capture meaningful consent
Consent is more than a signature — it's evidence the patient understood what they were consenting to. Include a phone call or video discussion before sending the signing link, and document the discussion in the patient's notes. The signed form is the evidence of agreement; the documented discussion is the evidence of understanding.
Store securely
Signed consent forms are clinical records. Password-protect and store in the patient's electronic record. The audit trail (timestamp, IP, completed fields) should be stored alongside the form — many EHR systems support this as an attachment.
FAQ
Is electronic consent valid for invasive procedures?
In most jurisdictions, yes — provided the consent process (information, discussion, capacity) is properly conducted. The form is evidence of agreement, not a substitute for the consent discussion.
What if the patient lacks capacity?
Standard capacity assessments apply. If the patient lacks capacity, follow your jurisdiction's framework for best-interests decision-making — the consent form is then signed by the appropriate decision-maker.
How long should consent forms be retained?
For the life of the clinical record, typically until the patient's death plus the relevant retention period for clinical records.
Should witnesses sign electronic consents?
Generally not required for routine consents. For consents requiring witnessing (some research protocols, some surgical consents), follow the specific protocol.
Tomorrow's MRI proceeds. Send the consent via Flint and the patient signs from their kitchen table.