Medical Law and Ethics 1 Latest Update With Verified Solutions

Medical Law and Ethics 1 Latest Update With Verified Solutions law The law is a set of rules prescribed by a governing body that are enforced through a binding legal force and are thus enforceable. ethics Ethics have a moral component and, unless linked to a law, are not necessarily punishable. When it comes to the health care field, ethics have an impact on actions that affect life, quality of life, and death. Illegal action is most likely unethical, but unethical actions are not always illegal. Balancing Laws and Ethics Major organizations, such as the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, have studied the impact of medical actions, the laws, and employment in the medical industry. These studies have born codes or standards of practice, and these codes are often used to justify decisions made and actions taken by medical personnel. To balance medical laws and ethical dilemmas, health care practitioners must take these codes and standards into consideration as they care for and treat people. The standards that apply to most practitioners are patient rights, patient choice, confidentiality, and physician responsibilities. Legal Issues in the Medical Field violations of confidentiality medication errors practicing outside one's licensure/certification and negligence causing harm Overlap of Medical Ethics and Laws Being aware of the ladder of responsibility Differentiating between ethics and morals Knowing the basic principles of medical ethics ethics Ethics are related to morals and moral judgments; however, ethics force people to use reason and logic to make a decision. Morals Morals are standards that people choose to make and involve personal decisions that may or may not include a system of reason or logic. Differentiating between ethics and morals To differentiate ethics from moral judgments, look at the history of the process in developing a code of ethics. The first medical ethics document was published in 1847 by the American Medical Association (AMA). This document served to set uniform standards for training, education, and conduct of physicians. Similar to development of new laws, the AMA updates the code of ethics as new technology and inevitable ethical issues arise.The most current change in the Code of Medical Ethics by the AMA was in 2001. The first new article, Principle VIII, states that physicians will consider their responsibility to patients of paramount importance while they are in charge of the patients. The second new article, Principle IX, states that physicians will support access to health care for all people. Principles of Medical Ethics I-A physician shall, while caring for a patient, regard responsibility to the patient as paramount. II-A physician shall uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions, and strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence, or engaging in fraud or deception, to appropriate entities. III-A physician shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to seek changes in those requirements which are contrary to the best interests of the patient. IV-A physician shall respect the rights of patients, colleagues, and other health professionals, and shall safeguard patient confidences and privacy within the constraints of the law. V-A physician shall continue to study, apply, and advance scientific knowledge, maintain a commitment to medical education, make relevant information available to patients, colleagues, and the public, obtain consultation, and use the talents of other health professionals when indicated. VI-A physician shall, in the provision of appropriat