What is the purpose of obtaining informed consent?

The purpose of obtaining informed consent is fundamentally to ensure that patients have a clear understanding of the risks, benefits, and alternatives associated with a medical procedure or treatment. This process empowers patients to make informed decisions about their own healthcare, which is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice. Informed consent respects patient autonomy by allowing individuals to weigh their options and consider how a procedure aligns with their own values and health goals.

Patients should be given the necessary information in a comprehensible manner so they can ask questions, express concerns, and ultimately give their voluntary agreement before any medical intervention occurs. This ensures that they are not only participating in their healthcare choices but also are fully aware of the potential implications of those choices.

The other options do address aspects related to healthcare but do not capture the fundamental ethical and practical purpose of informed consent as precisely as the correct choice does. Billing accuracy, legal protection for providers, and speeding up treatment are important considerations in healthcare, but they do not define the primary goal of informed consent.