Maximising patient consent for video recording

Video recording is a useful tool in the assessment of patients with movement disorders, as in many cases an accurate record of abnormal movement cannot be made in any other way. As part of an ongoing study of the incidence and long-term outcome of parkinsonian disorders, we have requested consent from patients to allow parts of their clinical examination to be recorded on video. We wondered whether some patients would be reluctant to grant consent and so decided to assess the effect of warning patients in advance of their clinic visit. We therefore sent one of two different appointment letters to alternate patients, either with no mention of video, or with the sentence, “In the course of this visit, we will discuss the possibility of recording your clinical assessment on video.”