Medical spa consent forms are essential tools in protecting both clients and businesses from disastrous misunderstandings. Let’s explore informed consent templates, examples, and insights tailored to medical spas.
Medical spa treatment consent form templates
Informed consent for treatment is a vital part of any medical spa practice. These forms typically include three parts:
1. Med spa informed consent form: Giving clients all of the details
To give clients the full spectrum of treatment information, medical spas start by providing an informed consent document. This form presents all the relevant details about the service, including disclosures, warnings, anticipated benefits, and more.
Informed consent template
Click here to preview and download our informed consent template [PDF].
2. Treatment consent acknowledgment: Making it easier for clients to understand and consent
Comprehensive informed consent documents are often quite long and complex. As such, it is usually followed by a consent acknowledgment form, offering an easy-to-read version highlighting key points. Have clients verify their comprehension and consent throughout.
Treatment consent acknowledgment template
Preview and download our treatment consent acknowledgment template [PDF].
3. Acknowledgment of pre-care and post-care instructions: Ensuring clients are ready before and after the treatment
The information included in the consent forms (like expected outcomes) often assumes that the client takes the necessary pre- and post-care steps. As such, acknowledging these instructions is a vital part of informed consent.
Pre- and post-care instructions template
Preview and download our pre-care and post-care instructions template [PDF].
In a 1905 landmark legal case, Mohr v Williams, patient Anna Mohr consented to surgery addressing complaints with her right ear. While she was unconscious under anesthetic, her surgeon found the condition of her right ear was not serious enough to require surgery; however, he found a more severe condition impacting her left ear. As such, he switched the course of surgery. Despite his good intentions, this switch resulted in further hearing loss for the patient.
This case was one of the first of many to shape our modern understanding and expectations of consent, placing the responsibility on the medical spa delivering care. Without informed consent, practitioners strip patients of control and assume responsibility for undesirable outcomes. Informed consent is vital for protecting the client-patient relationship by providing a few core benefits:
Ensuring clients are compatible with your services: As much as a client might want your services, some simply are not compatible. Whether they have concerns about treatment risks, side effects, healing time, pain tolerance, or allergies, it is vital (for your business and the client) to double-check that the client is compatible with the service before getting started.
Promoting genuine client understanding of treatment: Long and complex medical documents may be challenging for patients to read, leaving clients undergoing treatment they are not comfortable with or well suited for. This understanding is why treatment consent forms highlight the main points and require clients to acknowledge them before proceeding.
Ensuring the time is right for consent: Timing is another factor that can limit informed consent. If clients feel rushed into the service, they may compromise their understanding of the treatment. Many businesses require new clients to arrive ~15-30 minutes early for adequate consent form review.
Protecting your business from liability: By ensuring you have informed consent, you can protect your medical spa from liability and lawsuits that might arise from clients who experience uncomfortable side effects or treatment remorse.
Unlock advanced med spa support
Explore the features that make Mangomint the highest-rated medical spa software, including powerful charting tools, seamless form flows, HIPAA-compliant client management, and so much more.
Factors to consider when creating medical spa consent forms
Client care is at the heart of consent forms; however, there are other motivators to collect this vital information. State-level laws, insurance regulations, and medical laws/ethics may all apply to your medical consent forms. Other considerations may include:
Type of treatment provided, as some services may require more robust consent coverage.
Minor vs. adult consent, as there are extra considerations when gaining consent to treat a minor.
Your assessment of the patient’s understanding and ability to provide consent.
As such, it is essential to have a lawyer in your area review all your medical forms to ensure they are compliant.
17 essential med spa software features
Manage staff members, enhance the client experience and improve operations with these essential medical spa software features.
You may need consent for more than your treatments
While treatment consent is perhaps the most prominent in the industry, others might come to mind when considering medical spa consent.
HIPAA consent or authorization form example and templates
Medical spas may need HIPAA consent forms to collect, access, and store medical information related to the patient’s treatment plan.
You can create a simple form directly in your booking software, like the example here, for streamlined consent.
For more specialized support, most US states (like New York, Texas, California, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, and others) offer a standardized HIPAA consent form template you can download, adapt, and use within your business.
Photo release and media consent form
If your med spa hopes to collect content for your website or social media, you will need a media release form, like the example here. Photo and media consent documents often include:
The type of media you hope to collect.
Intent of collecting media (for training, case studies, or social media sharing purposes).
Permission to share the client’s images or video.
Collection of the client’s social media handles.
Try Mangomint for free
See Mangomint in action instantly with pre-populated sample data. No credit card required. Free for 21 days.
Medical spas need advanced booking and management features, and Mangomint’s HIPAA-compliant med spa software is tailored to help. We offer the integrated intake forms you need to seamlessly collect and verify client treatment consent, alongside intelligent charting with Image Markup.
Paired with our payroll processing, email marketing, staff scheduling, client management, packages, memberships, and other advanced features, you can find all the support your medical spa needs in Mangomint. Book a demo or start your free trial to explore our medical spa software solutions today.
Emily Holzer is a Content Marketing Manager at Mangomint. She has a master’s degree in English and a passion for helping salons, spas, and other local beauty businesses thrive. When she is not writing, you can find her playing chess or tending to her houseplants. Fun fact: Emily has donated 8 ponytails (so far) across 5 hair loss charities in the U.S.
