Medical Law & Ethics
Terms
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- caduceus
- symbol for medicine; made up of a staff with two snakes coiled around it
- morbidity rate
- number of sick persons or cases of a disease within a certain population
- mortality rate
- death rate; number of deaths in a certain population
- Certified Medical Assistant
- a multi-skilled allied health care professional who has successfully completed the CMA examination and works under the direct supervision of a physician
- agent
- person who represents or acts on behalf of another person
- ethics
- principles and guides for moral behavior
- legally binding
- form of contract that must be honored by law
- revocation
- the act of taking away or recalling; for instance, revoking a physician's license to practice medicine
- statutes
- laws and regulations enacted by a legislature
- subpoena
- a court order for a person (or documents) to appear in court
- abandonment
- to desert or leave a person; for example, when a physician discontinues treatment of a patient without providing coverage or sufficient notice of withdrawal
- breach of contract
- failure to comply with all the terms of a valid contract
- civil case
- a court case between private parties or institutions, not involving a crime
- consent
- to give permission, approve, or allow; may be written, verbal, informed, or implied
- informed consent
- patient's consent to undergo treatment based on the knowledge and understanding of the potential benefits and risks of treatment, provided by physician before procedure is performed
- implied consent
- inference by signs, inaction, or silence that consent has been granted
- contract
- agreement between two or more parties which creates an obligation to perform (or not perform) some action or service
- damages
- compensation for a loss or injury
- deposition
- written statement of oral testimony that is made before an officer of the court
- emancipated minor
-
person between the ages of 15-18 who is:
1. free of parental care
2. financially responsible for himself
3. married
4. in the military - felony
- a serious crime punishable by imprisonment or death
- guardian ad litem
- court-appointed guardian to represent a minor or unborn child
- liable
- responsible under the law to provide compensation to another person because a wrong has occurred
- libel
- false written statements about another person
- litigation
- lawsuit tried in court
- malpractice
- professional negligence
- minor
- person under 18 years of age
- neglect
- failure to perform some action
- negligence
- injury or harm caused by the performance of an act that a responsible and prudent physician would not have done or by the failure to perform some act that a responsible and prudent physician would have done
- public duty
- physician's responsibility to provide birth and death certificates and to report cases of communicable disease and abuse
- res ipsa loquitur
- "the thing speaks for itself"; a doctrine of negligence law
- respondeat superior
- "let the master answer"; the physician/employer is responsible for the actions of an employee
- slander
- false and malicious spoken words about another person
- standard of care
- the ordinary skill and care that a physician must use which is commonly used by peers within the same community
- statute of limitations
- the maximum time period during which certain legal actions can be brought forward
- subpoena duces tecum
- court order requiring a witness to appear in court and bring certain records or other material
- tort
- wrongful act committed against another person that causes harm