Key Terms
This term refers to professional negligence that causes injury or harm to a patient.
What is malpractice?
Patients have the right to receive understandable information about their condition and treatment.
What is the right to quality & explanation of care?
This federal law was enacted in 1996 to protect patient privacy and medical records.
What is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act?
This term refers to a failure to act with the care that a reasonable person would exercise in similar circumstances.
What is negligence?
Healthcare professionals must meet the educational and examination requirements to maintain this.
What is licensure?
This legal document outlines a person’s healthcare wishes in case they become unable to communicate them.
What is a living will?
Patients are entitled to know how their medical care is funded and the affiliations of their hospital.
What is billing, insurance, and hospital affiliations?
HIPAA allows patients to do this to their own medical records.
What is access and review?
This occurs when a healthcare provider demonstrates a reckless disregard for the safety of others.
What is gross negligence?
Following the legally defined scope of professional duties helps healthcare providers avoid these issues.
What are legal or medical liability issues?
This legal tool allows someone to make medical decisions on another’s behalf if they are incapacitated.
What is durable power of attorney?
Patients can participate in this process to prepare for a safe transition to a different healthcare facility or home.
What is discharge or transfer planning?
This provision ensures medical information is shared only with authorized individuals or organizations.
What is the Privacy Rule?
This legal doctrine states that patients understand the risks associated with a medical procedure.
What is assumption of risk?
This term refers to maintaining a current status in a specialty or field by completing regular professional education.
What is certification?
The process of ensuring a smooth transition of care when a patient moves from one provider or setting to another.
What is continuity of care?
This right ensures that patients are informed of all potential treatment options before deciding on their care.
What is the right to treatment plan options?
HIPAA compliance requires healthcare organizations to have these safeguards in place.
What are administrative, technical, and physical safeguards?
This document must be signed before any invasive medical procedure can be performed.
What is informed consent?
Clearly documenting this helps protect providers from allegations of improper care.
What is the patient’s medical record?
This is the right of individuals to control access to their personal medical information.
What is privacy?
The ability to share relevant medical information within a patient’s healthcare team while maintaining confidentiality.
What is communicating with the circle of care?
This type of violation occurs when a healthcare worker improperly discloses a patient’s medical information.
What is a breach of confidentiality?
This term describes the legal cause of harm in a negligence case.
What is proximate cause?
To avoid lawsuits, healthcare providers should prioritize this type of communication with patients.
What is clear, open, and honest communication?