What is an example of an opt-out consent in healthcare?

In healthcare, opt-out consent refers to a system where individuals are automatically included in a program or process unless they explicitly choose to decline participation. The correct choice, which states that the orthopedist shares health records unless otherwise specified, exemplifies this concept.

In this scenario, patients are presumed to consent to their health information being shared among healthcare providers unless they take action to indicate that they do not wish for their records to be shared. This system can streamline the sharing of important health information, improving care coordination and efficiency.

The other options suggest different consent mechanisms. Requiring patients to sign every release of information indicates active consent, where patients must be involved in the decision-making process for each instance of information sharing. The option mentioning the orthopedist not sharing records unless specified implies a more restrictive and active consent process as well. Lastly, stating that patients are automatically included in all health exchanges refers to automatic participation, but without the specific component of having the option to prevent sharing of records, which is central to the concept of opt-out.