Opinion ID: 2638950
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Summary Judgment Regarding Informed Consent Was Appropriately Granted to PRMC.

Text: In Foster's complaint, he twice raised the issue of informed consent. First, as part of the medical negligence count of the complaint, Foster alleged the hospital's nurse anesthetist was professionally negligent in failing to assure Foster gave his informed consent to surgery. We have already held that summary judgment was appropriately granted to the Defendants regarding Foster's professional negligence claim, and so this allegation of professional negligence is extinguished with it. Next, Foster alleged in the second count of his complaint that the Defendants failed to fully inform him and make disclosures allowing him to give his informed consent. This allegation regarding informed consent is separate from Foster's professional medical negligence claim. Informed consent is a statutory cause of action. See I.C. § 39-4301 et seq. Idaho Code § 39-4306 places the duty to obtain informed consent with the attending physician, but a licensed hospital, acting with the approval of such a physician, may perform the ministerial act of documenting such consent by securing the completion and execution of a form or statement.... In performing this ministerial act, a hospital is not deemed be engaged in the practice of medicine. Foster alleges PRMC failed to fully inform him and make appropriate disclosures of the risks of surgery. However, under I.C. § 39-4306 the duty to inform and to disclose facts is not the duty of the hospital. Consequently, we affirm the district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of PRMC regarding the informed consent claim.