Before a patient undergoes surgery, a signature is required on the surgical consent form.
The signatory can be the patient themselves, their spouse, parents, or children. It can also be grandparents, siblings, and so on.
If family and close relatives are not present or nearby, a friend, company superior, or colleague accompanying the patient to the hospital can also sign.
In special emergencies where no one is available to sign, hospital administration can sign off to fast-track the patient for emergency life-saving surgery.
If the patient signs for themselves, they must be an adult, fully conscious, and capable of making independent judgments. This is typically for minor or intermediate surgeries with a low degree of risk.
For major surgeries with a higher degree of risk, hospitals generally do not accept the patient's own signature and require a family member to sign.
