A PATIENT signed his consent form at Shenzhen People’s Hospital at 1:15 a.m. Sunday, to become the hospital’s first patient to do so with new medical rules taking effect the same day. Under Ministry of Health new rules, patients are required to sign their own consent forms before undergoing operations. It is believed the new system will reduce medical disputes between hospitals and patients. Previously, family members or relatives of patients were empowered to sign consent forms on behalf of a patient. Doctor Jia, Guo’s surgeon, said there were advantages and disadvantages in the new regulation. It helped simplify procedures for emergency treatment cases, he said. But what was worrying was that doctors had to be more careful in choosing words when briefing patients about their illnesses for fear of putting patients under psychological pressure, he said.(Li Jing)