Purpose
Explain why the survey is being conducted and how results will be used by the organization or researchers.
A clear, compliant consent form protects patient rights, documents informed choice, and reduces legal and regulatory exposure while improving data quality and response rates.
Organizations and individuals across care settings prepare and obtain consent for patient surveys; specific roles determine review and signature authority.
Use appropriate signers and recordkeeping practices so the consent is enforceable and auditable in medical or administrative contexts.
Explain why the survey is being conducted and how results will be used by the organization or researchers.
List what information will be gathered (health data, demographics, identifiers) and whether data will be de-identified.
Describe internal use, third-party disclosures, and whether data may be used for research or aggregated reporting.
State applicable privacy protections (e.g., HIPAA) and whether a Business Associate Agreement applies for external processors.
Provide clear instructions for how a participant can withdraw consent and the effect of withdrawal on existing data.
Include name, role (if signed by proxy), date, and a place for electronic or handwritten signature with authentication method noted.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Authentication | Email link or SMS code; use multi-factor for sensitive surveys |
| Signature Type | Visible e-signature with audit trail; use digital certificate if required |
| Conditional Fields | Show follow-ups only when applicable to reduce respondent burden |
| Data Export | Export to CSV or EHR integration for analysis and recordkeeping |
Choose a platform that meets security, integration, and format requirements for clinical environments.
Obtain signed consent prior to collecting survey responses
Log signature event and timestamp in patient record within 24–48 hours
Export and link survey data weekly or per protocol
Maintain audit trail accessible for 6 years per HIPAA
Process withdrawal requests within a documented timeframe (e.g., 10 business days)
Legal and privacy teams approve language and data-sharing clauses before use
Distribute the form and enable electronic signing in production
Capture signed consents and link to survey responses
Store signed copies and audit logs in long-term secure storage
Offer PDF/A for archival, DOCX for edits, and CSV/Excel for data export to analytics platforms or EHR imports.
Attach privacy notices, consent scripts, study protocols, and contact information for questions or withdrawal requests.
Include a timestamped certificate of completion, IP address, signer authentication log, and field-level change history for audits.
Define role-based access to signed consents and enforcement of least-privilege access in the document storage system.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes, 7-day trial | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |