Health Policy Ch 10 - Physician's Ethical and Legal Issues

Hippocratic Oath

Oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine ethically

Abandonment

Unilateral termination of physician-patient relationship by the physician without notice to the patient. Physician must notify patient if he is withdrawing from case.

History and Physical Assessment

Hospital's rules require an H&P to be written within 24 hours of admission

Consultation

If the preferred tx is outside a physician's field of expertise, it is their duty to advise the patient

Diagnosis

Process of identifying a possible dz or process, providing the physician with tx options

Misdiagnosis

Dx and tx of: a disease different from that which the pt actually suffers, a dz the pt does not have, or sx but not the underlying dz

Autonomy and Informed Consent

Physician's duty to disclose known risks, benefits, and alternatives, of proposed treatment, advise alternatives, and provide necessary medical facts

Implied consent

Consent to treatment is implied in an emergency setting

Active treatment

Treatment towards curing a disease

Causal treatment

Attempting to prevent the cause of a disease

Conservative treatment

Not doing anything "radical

Palliative treatment

Treatment to stop pain

Expectant treatment

Treatment to remove symptoms that you expect will come, not treat the cause

Specific treatment

Treatment to fix one specific factor

Supportive care

Attempts to strengthen the patient

Medication errors

The leading cause of patient injuries

Negligent admin of meds

Wrong: Med, patient, dose, route, site

Aggravation of Patient's Condition

Worsening a preexisting condition through negligence may cause a physician to be liable for malpractice. Liability will be imposed only for the aggravation, rather than for both the original injury and its aggravation

Nosocomial Infection

Hospital acquired infections that are a leading cause of injury and unnecessary death. Linked to unsanitary conditions in the environment and poor practices.

Lucchesi v Stimmell

Action against a physician for intentional infliction of emotional distress, claiming the physician failed to be present during the unsuccessful attempts to deliver her premature fetus and he failed to disclose that the fetus was decapitated during delivery attempts.

Physician-Patient Relationship

The health and well-being of the patient depends on a collaborative effort between the physician and the patient, and must support the dignity of all persons and respect their uniqueness