If a patient asks about your level of experience prior to a procedure, do you have to answer honestly in order for informed consent to be obtained?

If a patient asks about your level of experience prior to a procedure, do you have to answer honestly in order for informed consent to be obtained?

• A. No, you are not required to disclose the level of experience
• B. It depends on the institution's policy
• C. Not necessary unless the patient asks in writing
• D. Yes — you must answer the question in order for informed consent to be obtained

Answer: (D)

Informed consent rests on giving the patient information that a reasonable person would want to know to decide whether to proceed. That includes who will perform the procedure and the provider’s level of experience with it. When a patient asks about your experience, you are expected to answer truthfully because this directly affects their ability to weigh benefits, risks, and alternatives. Withholding or misrepresenting your qualifications undermines the patient's autonomy and can call into question the validity of the consent or lead to liability for lack of informed consent. While institutional policies may shape how consent is documented, they do not replace the ethical obligation to be honest when asked. The disclosure is triggered by a direct question in the clinical setting, not by a written request.

Informed consent rests on giving the patient information that a reasonable person would want to know to decide whether to proceed. That includes who will perform the procedure and the provider’s level of experience with it. When a patient asks about your experience, you are expected to answer truthfully because this directly affects their ability to weigh benefits, risks, and alternatives. Withholding or misrepresenting your qualifications undermines the patient's autonomy and can call into question the validity of the consent or lead to liability for lack of informed consent. While institutional policies may shape how consent is documented, they do not replace the ethical obligation to be honest when asked. The disclosure is triggered by a direct question in the clinical setting, not by a written request.