Medical Ethics & Patient Rights Flashcards
7 cards from real ADM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Medical Ethics & Patient Rights flashcards as text
A patient with SUD and chronic pain requests opioids, but the physician suspects drug-seeking behavior. What is the most ethical approach?
Answer: Conduct a thorough assessment of both pain and SUD, use a multimodal treatment plan, and apply universal precautions
Universal precautions in pain management apply to all patients and require comprehensive assessment, risk stratification, and individualized treatment planning.
Which of the following is a core component of informed consent for medication-assisted treatment with methadone?
Answer: Disclosure of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the voluntary nature of treatment
Valid informed consent requires disclosure of material risks, benefits, alternatives, and confirmation that participation is voluntary.
A clinician at a federally assisted SUD treatment program receives a subpoena for a patient's treatment records. What is the correct response under 42 CFR Part 2?
Answer: Notify the patient and seek a court order to quash or limit the subpoena before disclosing
A subpoena alone does not authorize disclosure under 42 CFR Part 2; a court order meeting specific criteria is required.
An addiction medicine physician is asked to evaluate a patient for fitness-for-duty by the patient's employer. The patient consents. Which ethical issue must the physician carefully navigate?
Answer: Dual loyalty — serving both the employer and the patient's interests may conflict
Dual loyalty conflicts arise in third-party evaluations and must be disclosed; the physician should clarify whose interests they represent.
A patient discloses past child abuse during addiction treatment. The abuse occurred years ago and the alleged perpetrator is deceased. What is the physician's obligation?
Answer: No mandatory reporting obligation exists for historical abuse where the perpetrator is deceased and no current child is at risk
Mandatory reporting laws apply to current abuse or imminent risk to a child; historical abuse with no ongoing risk and a deceased perpetrator does not trigger a mandatory report.
What does the ethical concept of 'non-abandonment' require of an addiction medicine physician?
Answer: The physician must not abruptly terminate care without providing reasonable notice and referral options
Non-abandonment prohibits abrupt termination of care; physicians must give adequate notice and assist with transfer of care.
A patient requests a copy of their medical records, including their addiction treatment records. The practice is affiliated with a federally assisted SUD program. What governs release of these records?
Answer: 42 CFR Part 2 governs, but patients always retain the right to access and receive their own records
Under 42 CFR Part 2, patients retain the right to access their own treatment records, which programs must honor.