QHConsent Pilot: Transforming Patient Consent

Aim

This project was to develop and pilot a proof-of-concept digital informed consent solution that demonstrates the benefits of digitising consent forms and how this meets the needs of clinicians and consumers.

Outcomes

• QHConsent improves patient safety, workflow efficiency and patient flow
• Demonstrates strong clinician and consumer acceptance
• Demonstrates further cost benefits in reducing the amount of paper and patient labels, and printer cartridges – this has an additional positive impact on the environment.
• Provides a scalable model for statewide digital consent transformation

Background

• Queensland Health has a very comprehensive set of paper consent forms and patient information sheets, but we know informed consent is more than the provision of a paperwork, no matter how detailed.
• Informed consent is a two-way communication process reflecting the ethical principle that a patient has the right to decide what is appropriate for them, taking into account their personal circumstances, beliefs, and priorities.
• This includes the right to accept or to decline the offer of certain health care and to change that decision. In order for a patient to exercise this right to decide, they require the information that is relevant to them.
• A project to develop and pilot a proof-of-concept digital informed consent solution to strengthen informed consent processes to improve the expectations of patients undergoing procedures, allowing the patient to be better informed before consenting to the procedure, was implemented late 2025.

Discussion

Results

• 5000 digital consent forms completed since September 2025
• Clinicians: valued efficiency, telehealth suitability and automatic upload into ieMR
  • “This is a game changer in the telehealth space”
  • “Allows time efficient consenting, giving the patient time to listen, then read the consent, then sign it – all without delaying my other clinical tasks”
• Consumers: 89% satisfied or very satisfied with using QHConsent
  • “Clear and easy to use”
  • “All information is available for you to read in your own time. Very quick and easy”
• Efficiencies (when compared to paper): 10.5 mins less clinician time per consent. Processing 5,000 consent forms is estimated to save clinicians a total of approximately 860 clinical hours, which equates to approximately $61,500 saved (note this does not include non-clinician time or idle time e.g. where the consent form is sitting in a tray waiting to be collected)
• Safety & Quality: Audits revealed incomplete information reduced from 93% (paper) to 1% (digital)

Next Steps

• Continued proof-of-concept pilot evaluation
• Clinical Excellence Queensland is working with eHealth Queensland on the next steps
• Further development and functionality required including:
  • Generic and bundled consents for multiple procedures
  • Electronic Booking System integration
  • Enhanced access management