We have identified efforts by research ers to investigate interventions which seek to improve information delivery and consideration of information to enhance  informed consent .
The interventions used consistently improve patient knowledge , an important prerequisite for informed consent .
This is encouraging and these measures could be widely employed although we are not able to say with confidence which types of interventions are preferable .
Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the high levels of heterogeneity associated with many of the main analyses although we believe there is broad evidence of beneficial outcomes for patients with the pragmatic application of interventions .
BACKGROUND Achieving informed consent is a core clinical procedure and is required before any surgical or invasive procedure is undertaken .
However , it is a complex process which requires patients be provided with information which they can underst and and retain , opportunity to consider their options , and to be able to express their opinions and ask questions .
There is evidence that at present some patients undergo procedures without informed consent being achieved .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on patients , clinicians and the healthcare system of interventions to promote informed consent for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive healthcare treatments and procedures .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Informed consent is an important ethical and practical part of patient care .
Patient education and informed consent in head and neck surgery.
OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of an educational intervention , in the form of printed material , on  patient knowledge and recall of possible risks from  parotidectomy or thyroidectomy .  DESIGN Prospect i ve , r and omized , controlled study conducted during a 9-month period . SETTING Head and neck surgery clinic of an academic tertiary care hospital . PATIENTS One hundred twenty-five consecutive patients older than 16 years who were undergoing thyroidectomy or parotidectomy at the head and neck surgery clinic were recruited . Four patients were excluded from analysis because their follow-up interview was not within the required limits . INTERVENTION At the preoperative visit during the routine consent process , both groups received a verbally delivered checklist of risks specific for the surgery to be performed . The intervention group was also given a pamphlet with written information accompanied by illustrations . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The effectiveness of the educational intervention  was determined by comparing the average rate of risk recall between the intervention and control groups . The effects of age , sex , level of education , and time between the consent and recall interviews on recall rate were also assessed . RESULTS The overall risk recall rate for both procedures was 39.1 % . The recall rate of the intervention group was 50.3 % compared with 29.5 % for the control group ( P<.001 ) . CONCLUSIONS The intervention consistently improved risk recall for all patients regardless of age , sex , and level of education . Patients ' ability to recall potential risks was significantly increased by an educational intervention ; all patients would benefit from this intervention
We have identified efforts by research ers to investigate interventions which seek to improve information delivery and consideration of information to enhance  informed consent .
The interventions used consistently improve patient knowledge , an important prerequisite for informed consent .
This is encouraging and these measures could be widely employed although we are not able to say with confidence which types of interventions are preferable .
Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the high levels of heterogeneity associated with many of the main analyses although we believe there is broad evidence of beneficial outcomes for patients with the pragmatic application of interventions .
BACKGROUND Achieving informed consent is a core clinical procedure and is required before any surgical or invasive procedure is undertaken .
However , it is a complex process which requires patients be provided with information which they can underst and and retain , opportunity to consider their options , and to be able to express their opinions and ask questions .
There is evidence that at present some patients undergo procedures without informed consent being achieved .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on patients , clinicians and the healthcare system of interventions to promote informed consent for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive healthcare treatments and procedures .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Informed consent is an important ethical and practical part of patient care .