Questions and Answers
What is the relationship between medicine and law?
The field of medicine and law are linked in common concern for the patient's health and rights.
What can help prevent medical malpractice?
What must a Medical Assistant prioritize?
To act as the patients' advocate.
What is abandonment in medical terms?
Signup and view all the answers
Define advance directive.
Signup and view all the answers
What is the appeal process in legal terms?
Signup and view all the answers
What constitutes assault in medical ethics?
Signup and view all the answers
Define battery.
Signup and view all the answers
What is a bench trial?
Signup and view all the answers
Define bioethics.
Signup and view all the answers
What are blood-borne pathogens?
Signup and view all the answers
What does breach mean in legal context?
Signup and view all the answers
What is civil law?
Signup and view all the answers
Define common law.
Signup and view all the answers
What is comparative negligence?
Signup and view all the answers
What is confidentiality in healthcare?
Signup and view all the answers
What is consent in medical terms?
Signup and view all the answers
Define contract.
Signup and view all the answers
What is contributory negligence?
Signup and view all the answers
What are damages in legal terms?
Signup and view all the answers
What is defamation of character?
Signup and view all the answers
Who is the defendant in legal terms?
Signup and view all the answers
Define deposition.
Signup and view all the answers
What is a durable power of attorney?
Signup and view all the answers
What does duress mean in legal terms?
Signup and view all the answers
Define emancipated minor.
Signup and view all the answers
What are ethics?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an expert witness?
Signup and view all the answers
Define expressed consent.
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Legal and Ethical Considerations in Healthcare
- Medicine and law are interconnected, focusing on patient health and rights.
- Medical professionals face malpractice lawsuits; professionalism, clinical competency, and proper documentation are crucial for prevention.
- Building strong patient-provider relationships can minimize frivolous lawsuits and enhance healthcare quality.
- Medical ethics and bioethics involve complex, often controversial issues with no straightforward answers.
- As a Medical Assistant, advocating for patients and upholding ethical standards is paramount; reporting unethical conduct is essential.
- Continuously monitor legal updates affecting healthcare organizations; state bulletins provide information on new legislation.
- Each medical office should have legal counsel to interpret legal matters accurately.
Key Legal Terms
- Abandonment: When a physician withdraws from a patient relationship without proper notice, leaving the patient without necessary care.
- Advance Directive: Patient's preferences regarding healthcare decisions prior to critical medical situations.
- Appeal: Legal process where higher courts review decisions of lower courts.
- Assault: Threatening to physically contact another individual without their consent.
- Battery: Actual unauthorized physical contact with another person.
Court Processes and Ethical Frameworks
- Bench Trial: A trial conducted by a judge without a jury.
- Bioethics: Moral issues related to the preservation and quality of human life.
- Blood-Borne Pathogens: Viruses transmitted through exposure to infected blood or bodily fluids.
- Breach: Violating the terms of a contract.
- Civil Law: Legal branch addressing disputes between private individuals.
Negligence and Patient Rights
- Common Law: Laws established by historical legal precedents.
- Comparative Negligence: Allocating fault between parties based on negligence contributions.
- Confidentiality: Ensuring patient data is secure from unauthorized access.
- Consent: The patient's agreement for a medical procedure after understanding it.
- Contract: A legally binding agreement between parties.
Legal Defenses and Rights
- Contributory Negligence: Defendant admits negligence but asserts plaintiff's role in causing damages.
- Damages: Compensation for injuries resulting from negligence.
- Defamation of Character: False statements harming a person’s reputation.
- Defendant: The accused party in a legal matter.
- Deposition: A sworn statement gathered during legal proceedings.
Representation and Patient Autonomy
- Durable Power of Attorney: A legal authority allowing someone to act on another's behalf.
- Duress: Coercing someone to act against their will.
- Emancipated Minor: A minor recognized as an adult in legal terms.
- Ethics: Standards for moral behavior enforced by peer groups.
Professional Responsibility
- Expert Witness: A professional who provides specialized knowledge in court to aid decision-making.
- Expressed Consent: Clear, informed agreement from a patient for a specific medical procedure.
- Expressed Contracts: Formal agreements that outline the terms understood by the involved parties.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Explore the critical intersection of law and ethics in medicine with this Chapter 2 flashcard set. Understand the importance of professionalism, clinical competency, and proper documentation to prevent malpractice lawsuits. Enhance your knowledge of patient rights and healthcare team dynamics in a legal context.