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Medical Law and Ethics
Course: Medical Assisting Practicum (MAS-2060 )
46 Documents
Students shared 46 documents in this course
University: Prince George's Community College
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Medical Law and Ethics:
Introduction:
Medical law and ethics are two important areas of study for medical assisting students. Medical law
refers to the laws and regulations that govern the healthcare industry, while medical ethics refers to the
principles and values that guide the behavior of healthcare professionals.
Overview of Medical Law:
Medical law covers a wide range of topics, including patient rights, informed consent, medical
malpractice, and healthcare privacy. Medical assisting students need to be familiar with the laws and
regulations that apply to their field, so they can provide the best possible care to patients while
protecting themselves from legal liability.
Patient Rights:
Patients have several rights, including the right to be informed about their health status, the right to
make decisions about their medical care, and the right to privacy. Medical assisting students must
understand these rights and respect them when caring for patients.
Informed Consent:
Informed consent refers to the process of obtaining a patient's agreement to a medical treatment or
procedure. Medical assisting students need to understand the importance of obtaining informed consent
from patients, and be familiar with the steps involved in the process, including explaining the risks and
benefits of the treatment and obtaining written consent from the patient.
Medical Malpractice:
Medical malpractice refers to a failure to provide appropriate care that results in harm to the patient.
Medical assisting students need to be aware of the standards of care for their field and take steps to
avoid committing medical malpractice, such as keeping accurate patient records and following
established protocols.
Healthcare Privacy:
Healthcare privacy is a crucial aspect of medical law. Patients have a right to privacy with respect to their
medical information, and medical assisting students must be familiar with the laws and regulations that
govern healthcare privacy, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).