How should capacity to consent be assessed?

• A. By age and completion of a form
• B. By assessing understanding, appreciation of consequences, and ability to communicate a choice
• C. By family member decision
• D. By the physician alone

Answer: (B)

Assessing capacity to consent means checking whether the patient can actively participate in decisions about their care. The key is threefold: they must understand the information about their condition and the proposed treatment, they must appreciate how that information applies to their own situation and the potential consequences, and they must be able to communicate a clear and voluntary decision. This approach matters because capacity is about actual understanding and ability to express a choice, not just age or signing a form. It also isn’t determined by a family member or the physician alone; autonomous consent comes from the patient’s own comprehension and communication. Capacity can vary by decision and over time, so each decision requires this kind of careful, patient-centered assessment.