What is the primary purpose of informed consent in healthcare?

The primary purpose of informed consent in healthcare is to protect the client's right to self-determination in health care decision-making. Informed consent empowers patients by ensuring they have the necessary information about a proposed treatment, including its risks, benefits, and alternatives, enabling them to make knowledgeable choices regarding their care. This process is foundational to ethical medical practice, as it respects the autonomy of individuals to make decisions that align with their values and beliefs.

While the other choices touch on aspects of patient rights and education, they do not fully capture the essence of informed consent. For instance, while informed consent does help clients understand their treatment options, the broader goal is to ensure that patients can exercise their autonomy and make informed decisions about their care. Similarly, while it may facilitate refusal of treatment or aid in creating advance directives like living wills, these are more specific applications rather than defining purposes of the informed consent process itself.