Purpose: The purpose of this informed consent policy is to ensure that clients/patients receiving speech-language pathology clinical services, including services provided by graduate students under the supervision of qualified and licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are fully informed about the nature of the services, the qualifications of the providers, and the client's rights and responsibilities.
Scope: This policy applies to all speech-language pathology clinical services provided by our organization, including evaluations, treatment, consultations, and any other direct or indirect clinical services. It covers services provided by licensed SLPs as well as graduate student clinicians under the direct supervision of qualified and licensed SLPs.
Policy: All clients/patients must provide informed consent prior to the initiation of any speech-language pathology clinical services. Informed consent includes the following elements:
Description of the proposed evaluation and/or treatment procedures
Risks and benefits of the proposed services
Qualifications of the clinical service providers, including graduate students and their supervising SLPs
Anticipated frequency and duration of services
Fees and billing procedures
Client/patient rights and responsibilities
Opportunity to ask questions and have them answered to the client/patient's satisfaction
Graduate Student Clinicians: Speech-language pathology clinical services may be provided by graduate student clinicians who are completing their clinical education under the direct supervision of qualified, licensed SLPs. Clients/patients will be informed if graduate student clinicians will be involved in their care, and the supervising SLP's name and contact information will be provided.
Supervision of Graduate Student Clinicians: Graduate student clinicians will be directly supervised by qualified, licensed SLPs who are responsible for all clinical decision-making and service provision. Supervisors will be accessible to the graduate student clinicians at all times and will provide ongoing feedback and guidance.
Client/Patient Rights: Clients/patients have the right to:
Refuse or withdraw consent for services at any time
Request information about the qualifications of their clinical service providers
Provide feedback or file a complaint about the services received
Have their personal and medical information kept confidential in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
Client/Patient Responsibilities: Clients/patients are responsible for:
Providing accurate and complete information about their medical history and current concerns
Actively participating in the evaluation and treatment process
Attending scheduled appointments or providing advance notice of cancellations
Informing the clinical service providers of any changes in their condition or concerns
Documentation: All informed consent discussions and client/patient agreements will be documented in the client/patient's medical record.
