Medical Law & Ethics (HLHS) Midterm Ivy Tech Questions and Answers Already Passed
Law - Answers Rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or
enforced by a controlling authority
Ethics - Answers Standards of behavior, developed as a result of one's concept of right and
wrong
bioethics - Answers A discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological research
methods and results, especially in medicine
virtue ethics - Answers Focuses on the traits, characteristics, and virtues that a moral person
should have
case law - Answers Law established through common law and legal precedent
civil law - Answers law that involves wrongful acts against persons
administrative law - Answers Enabling statutes enacted to define powers and procedures when
an agency is created
constitutional law - Answers law that derives from federal and state constitutions
criminal law - Answers law that involves crimes against the state
statutory law - Answers law passed by US congress or state legislatures
law of agency - Answers The law that governs the relationship between a principal and his or her
agent.
Felony - Answers An offense punishable by death or by imprisonment in a state or federal prison
for more than one year.
Misdemeanor - Answers A crime punishable by fine or by imprisonment in a facility other than a
prison for less than one year.
accessory - Answers An accessory is one who contributes to or aids in the commission of a
crime—by a direct act, by an indirect act (such as encouragement), by watching and not giving
aid, or by concealing the criminal's crime. For example, the person in charge of billing for health
care services in a medical office may be an accessory to insurance fraud if he or she takes no
action, even though he or she knows that some health care practitioners are billing for services
not rendered.
Punitive Damages - Answers damages exceeding simple compensation and awarded to punish
the defendant
defendant - Answers The person or party against whom criminal or civil charges are brought in a
, lawsuit.
plaintiff - Answers The person bringing charges in a lawsuit
Justice - Answers what is due an individual
etiquette - Answers Standards of behavior considered to be good manners among members of
a profession as they function as individuals in society.
Confidentiality - Answers The act of holding information in confidence, not to be released to
unauthorized individuals
Invasion of Privacy - Answers tort based in common law allowing an aggrieved party to bring a
lawsuit against an individual who unlawfully intrudes into his or her private affairs, discloses his
or her private information, publicizes him or her in a false light, or appropriates his or her name
for personal gain.
Negligence - Answers An unintentional tort alleged when one may have performed or failed to
perform an act that a reasonable person would not or would have done in similar circumstances.
Tort - Answers A civil wrong committed against a person or property, excluding breach of
contract
Tortfeasor - Answers Person guilty of committing a tort
contributory negligence - Answers failure of an injured plaintiff to act prudently, considered to
be a contributory factor in the injury suffered, and sometimes reducing the amount recovered
from the defendant.
comparative negligence - Answers partial legal defense that reduces the amount of damages
that a plaintiff can recover in a negligence-based claim, based upon the degree to which the
plaintiff's own negligence contributed to cause the injury.
malpractice - Answers negligence of a health care professional in the diagnosis, care, and
treatment of a patient
Assault - Answers The open threat of bodily harm to another, or acting in such a way as to put
another in the "reasonable apprehension of bodily harm."
Battery - Answers An action that causes bodily harm to another. It is broadly defined as any
bodily contact made without permission. Battery may or may not result from the threat of
assault. In health care delivery, battery may be charged for any unauthorized touching of a
patient, including such actions as suturing a wound, administering an injection, or performing a
physical examination.
Malfeasance - Answers The performance of a totally wrongful and unlawful act. For example, in
the absence of the employing physician, a medical assistant determines that a patient needs a
Law - Answers Rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or
enforced by a controlling authority
Ethics - Answers Standards of behavior, developed as a result of one's concept of right and
wrong
bioethics - Answers A discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological research
methods and results, especially in medicine
virtue ethics - Answers Focuses on the traits, characteristics, and virtues that a moral person
should have
case law - Answers Law established through common law and legal precedent
civil law - Answers law that involves wrongful acts against persons
administrative law - Answers Enabling statutes enacted to define powers and procedures when
an agency is created
constitutional law - Answers law that derives from federal and state constitutions
criminal law - Answers law that involves crimes against the state
statutory law - Answers law passed by US congress or state legislatures
law of agency - Answers The law that governs the relationship between a principal and his or her
agent.
Felony - Answers An offense punishable by death or by imprisonment in a state or federal prison
for more than one year.
Misdemeanor - Answers A crime punishable by fine or by imprisonment in a facility other than a
prison for less than one year.
accessory - Answers An accessory is one who contributes to or aids in the commission of a
crime—by a direct act, by an indirect act (such as encouragement), by watching and not giving
aid, or by concealing the criminal's crime. For example, the person in charge of billing for health
care services in a medical office may be an accessory to insurance fraud if he or she takes no
action, even though he or she knows that some health care practitioners are billing for services
not rendered.
Punitive Damages - Answers damages exceeding simple compensation and awarded to punish
the defendant
defendant - Answers The person or party against whom criminal or civil charges are brought in a
, lawsuit.
plaintiff - Answers The person bringing charges in a lawsuit
Justice - Answers what is due an individual
etiquette - Answers Standards of behavior considered to be good manners among members of
a profession as they function as individuals in society.
Confidentiality - Answers The act of holding information in confidence, not to be released to
unauthorized individuals
Invasion of Privacy - Answers tort based in common law allowing an aggrieved party to bring a
lawsuit against an individual who unlawfully intrudes into his or her private affairs, discloses his
or her private information, publicizes him or her in a false light, or appropriates his or her name
for personal gain.
Negligence - Answers An unintentional tort alleged when one may have performed or failed to
perform an act that a reasonable person would not or would have done in similar circumstances.
Tort - Answers A civil wrong committed against a person or property, excluding breach of
contract
Tortfeasor - Answers Person guilty of committing a tort
contributory negligence - Answers failure of an injured plaintiff to act prudently, considered to
be a contributory factor in the injury suffered, and sometimes reducing the amount recovered
from the defendant.
comparative negligence - Answers partial legal defense that reduces the amount of damages
that a plaintiff can recover in a negligence-based claim, based upon the degree to which the
plaintiff's own negligence contributed to cause the injury.
malpractice - Answers negligence of a health care professional in the diagnosis, care, and
treatment of a patient
Assault - Answers The open threat of bodily harm to another, or acting in such a way as to put
another in the "reasonable apprehension of bodily harm."
Battery - Answers An action that causes bodily harm to another. It is broadly defined as any
bodily contact made without permission. Battery may or may not result from the threat of
assault. In health care delivery, battery may be charged for any unauthorized touching of a
patient, including such actions as suturing a wound, administering an injection, or performing a
physical examination.
Malfeasance - Answers The performance of a totally wrongful and unlawful act. For example, in
the absence of the employing physician, a medical assistant determines that a patient needs a
