Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 360 - RULES OF GEORGIA COMPOSITE MEDICAL BOARD
Chapter 360-14 - INFORMED CONSENT
Rule 360-14-.02 - Definitions

(1) "Contrast materials" means a non-physiologically occurring molecular compound used to produce density differences in tissues, organs, or vessels to permit visualization of the imaging of such internal bodily structures.

(2) "Direct orders" means orders directly given by or communicated by the responsible physician to persons under the direct or immediate supervision or control of the responsible physician and for whose acts there are direct or immediate responsibility.

(3) "Emergency" means a situation, as defined in Code Section 31-9-3, wherein:

(4) "General anesthesia" means a state of unconsciousness and insensitivity to pain affecting the entire body which is produced by the administration of an intramuscular, intravenous or inhalant anesthetic.

(5) "Intravenous injection" means the injection of a substance directly into a vein.

(6) "Likelihood" means the degree or probability of success or failure expressed in general terms or in percentages.

(7) "Major region" means entire arm, leg, torso, or any combination thereof.

(8) "Major regional anesthesia" means a state of insensitivity to pain affecting a major region of the body which is produced by the temporary interruption of the sensory nerve conductivity of such a region through the administration of a spinal, epidural, intravenous regional, or brachial plexus anesthetic.

(9) "Major surgical or diagnostic procedures" means any surgical procedure under general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia, or major regional anesthesia or an amniocentesis diagnostic procedure or a diagnostic procedure which involves the intravenous injection of a contrast material.

(10) "Material risk" means a material risk generally recognized and accepted by reasonably prudent physicians of infection, allergic reaction, severe loss of blood, loss or loss of function of any limb or organ, paralysis or partial paralysis, paraplegia or quadraplegia, disfiguring scar, brain damage, cardiac arrest, or death which could result from the major surgical or diagnostic procedure and which, if disclosed to a reasonably prudent person in the patient's position, could reasonably be expected to cause such prudent person to decline the major surgical or diagnostic procedure on the basis of material risk of injury that could result from the major surgical or diagnostic procedure.

(11) "Medical personnel" means persons under the direct supervision and control of the responsible physician who are duly licensed or authorized to participate in the performance of a major surgical or diagnostic procedure or who are otherwise involved in the course of treatment of the patient's condition.

(12) "Practical alternatives" means practical alternatives to a major surgical or diagnostic procedure which are generally recognized and accepted by reasonably prudent physicians.

(13) "Responsible physician" means the physician who performs the major surgical or diagnostic procedure or the physician under whose direct orders the major surgical or diagnostic procedure is performed by a nonphysician.

(14) "Spinal anesthesia" means a state of insensitivity to pain which is produced by the temporary interruption of the sensory nerve conductivity of a major region of the body through the injection of an anesthetic into the subarachnoid space.