Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 5123 | Department of Developmental Disabilities
Section 5123.86 | Consent for Medical Treatment.

Effective: October 12, 2016
Latest Legislation: House Bill 158 - 131st General Assembly
(A) Except as provided in divisions (C), (D), and (E) of this section, the chief medical officer shall provide all information, including expected physical and medical consequences, necessary to enable any resident of an institution for persons with i ntellectual disabilities to give a fully informed, intelligent, and knowing consent if any of the following procedures are proposed:
(1) Surgery;
(2) Sterilization;
(3) Experimental procedures.
(B) No resident shall be subjected to sterilization without the resident's informed consent.
(C) If a resident is physically or mentally unable to receive the information required for surgery or an experimental procedure under division (A) of this section, or has been adjudicated incompetent, the information may be provided to the resident's natural or court-appointed guardian, including an agency providing guardianship services under contract with the department of developmental disabilities under sections 5123.55 to 5123.59 of the Revised Code. The guardian may give the informed, intelligent, and knowing written consent for surgery or the experimental procedure.
If a resident is physically or mentally unable to receive the information required for surgery or an experimental procedure under division (A) of this section and has no guardian, then the information, the recommendation of the chief medical officer, and the concurring judgment of a licensed physician who is not a full-time employee of the state may be provided to the court in the county in which the institution is located. The court may approve the surgery or experimental procedure. Before approving the surgery or experimental procedure, the court shall notify the Ohio protection and advocacy system created by section 5123.60 of the Revised Code, and shall notify the resident of the resident's rights to consult with counsel, to have counsel appointed by the court if the resident is indigent, and to contest the recommendation of the chief medical officer.
(D) If, in the judgment of two licensed physicians, delay in obtaining consent for surgery would create a grave danger to the health of a resident, emergency surgery may be performed without the consent of the resident if the necessary information is provided to the resident's guardian, including an agency providing guardianship services under contract with the department of developmental disabilities under sections 5123.55 to 5123.59 of the Revised Code, or to the resident's spouse or next of kin to enable that person or agency to give an informed, intelligent, and knowing written consent.
If the guardian, spouse, or next of kin cannot be contacted through exercise of reasonable diligence, or if the guardian, spouse, or next of kin is contacted, but refuses to consent, then the emergency surgery may be performed upon the written authorization of the chief medical officer and after court approval has been obtained. However, if delay in obtaining court approval would create a grave danger to the life of the resident, the chief medical officer may authorize surgery, in writing, without court approval. If the surgery is authorized without court approval, the chief medical officer who made the authorization and the physician who performed the surgery shall each execute an affidavit describing the circumstances constituting the emergency and warranting the surgery and the circumstances warranting their not obtaining prior court approval. The affidavit shall be filed with the court with which the request for prior approval would have been filed within five court days after the surgery, and a copy of the affidavit shall be placed in the resident's file and shall be given to the guardian, spouse, or next of kin of the resident, to the hospital at which the surgery was performed, and to the Ohio protection and advocacy system created by section 5123.60 of the Revised Code.
(E) This chapter does not authorize any form of compulsory medical or psychiatric treatment of any resident who is being treated by spiritual means through prayer alone in accordance with a recognized religious method of healing.

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