If there is doubt about capacity, which professional can assist in assessment?

• A. Ethicist or ethics committee.
• B. Security officer.
• C. Billing department.
• D. Surgical team only.

Answer: (A)

When capacity to make a medical decision is in doubt, bringing in an ethics expert or ethics committee is the most appropriate step. They specialize in examining autonomy and informed consent, using a structured approach to determine whether a patient can understand relevant information, appreciate consequences, reason about options, and communicate a choice. This helps ensure the patient’s rights are respected while identifying when a surrogate decision-maker should be involved. They can also help the team and family navigate conflicts and document the decision-making process.

The other options don’t fit this need. A security officer has no role in evaluating medical decision-making capacity. The billing department is administrative, not clinical or ethical. The surgical team alone focuses on medical/surgical issues and may not provide the ethical framework or impartial assessment needed to determine capacity.