Elective procedures, carefully explained and documented

1. 1

   1. Inform orally and in writing

   The ÄsthOpG requires comprehensive oral and written information in understandable language (§ 5(1)). The consent sheet is available in advance in the patient portal; the physician conducts the consent discussion.

2. 2

   2. Observe the waiting period before consent

   For aesthetic operations, at least two weeks must pass between completed patient information and consent (§ 6(1)). The consent trail shows when patients viewed which content and when they signed.

3. 3

   3. Document consent in writing

   Consent must be documented in writing (§ 6(2)). medudoc files the consent sheet, signatures, consent trail and medical history in one PDF/A.

4. 4

   4. Anaesthesia in the same document

   For anaesthesia, there is the sheet “Anaesthesia for aesthetic surgery (ÄsthOpG Austria)” – in the same document as the procedure.

The physician decides when consent is given and when surgery takes place. medudoc documents the process completely.

• Law & regulation

  Informed consent in Austria: legal framework, practice and challenges for medical staff

  In Austria, medical treatment is only permissible with valid consent (§§ 252–255 ABGB); without it, treatment is in principle unlawful, even if it was medically indicated. Consent requires oral, comprehensible and timely information about the nature and aim of the treatment, its risks, alternatives, prospects of success and the consequences of not treating. For hospitals, §§ 5a and 8 KAKuG also apply; there, § 10 KAKuG requires the patient information to be documented, while § 51 ÄrzteG sets out physicians' general duty to document. Consent sheets and videos supplement the physician's discussion, but do not replace it.

  June 24, 2026 · 8 min read
• Law & regulation

  Burden of proof for informed consent: why a signature is not enough in a liability case

  Under Section 630h(2) of the German Civil Code (BGB), the treating party bears the burden of proving patient information and consent — not the patient. A signed consent form only proves that a document was signed, not that the patient was informed individually, comprehensibly and in good time. The hospital's position becomes robust when the entire consent process can be reconstructed: which content was viewed when, which questions were asked and when the document was signed. In Austria, established OGH case law applies a comparable allocation of the burden of proof.

  July 7, 2026 · 7 min read
• Articles & guides

  Six factors that influence patient understanding in preoperative patient education

  Six factors influence how well patients understand preoperative patient education: the complexity of the medical information, the way it is presented, level of education and cognitive abilities, anxiety and stress before surgery, time pressure in medical practice and language barriers. Visual, clearly prepared and multilingual content that patients can watch calmly in advance improves understanding.

  October 15, 2026 · 4 min read

• Patient intakeAccess via QR code, website link or appointment confirmation – no app, no new password.Learn more
• Patient education videoPersonalised patient education videos for each procedure, with subtitles and a reading version.Learn more
• Digital consent sheetPatient-specific consent sheet with electronic signature.Learn more
• Consent discussionOn site or telemedical – prepared by video and consent sheet.Learn more
• Documentation & archivingComplete consent trail and audit-proof archiving as PDF/A.Learn more