Ethics and Confidentiality Flashcards
7 cards from real CAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics and Confidentiality flashcards as text
A patient discloses a credible plan to seriously harm a specific identifiable person. What is the acupuncturist's most appropriate ethical and legal consideration?
Answer: A duty to warn or protect may permit or require disclosure under state law
Following the Tarasoff principle, many states permit or require disclosure to prevent serious threatened harm to an identifiable person.
During treatment of a 9-year-old, an acupuncturist notices injuries strongly suggestive of abuse. What should the practitioner do?
Answer: Report the suspicion to the appropriate child protective authority as required by state law
Healthcare providers are generally mandated reporters and must report reasonable suspicion of child abuse; proof is not required.
Which of the following is considered an incidental disclosure permitted under HIPAA when reasonable safeguards are in place?
Answer: A patient in the waiting room overhearing another patient's name being called
Incidental disclosures that occur despite reasonable safeguards, such as calling names in a waiting room, are permitted.
An acupuncturist wants to post a patient's success story on the clinic website. What is required?
Answer: A valid written HIPAA authorization from the patient
Using PHI for marketing generally requires the patient's written authorization.
A practitioner begins a romantic relationship with a current patient. According to professional ethics codes, this is:
Answer: A boundary violation and prohibited
Romantic or sexual relationships with current patients are prohibited boundary violations due to the inherent power imbalance.
A patient's adult daughter calls asking about her mother's treatment plan. The patient has not authorized disclosure. What should the acupuncturist do?
Answer: Decline to share PHI without the patient's agreement unless an exception applies
HIPAA allows sharing with family only when the patient agrees, does not object, or in limited emergency circumstances.
Which situation is outside an acupuncturist's scope of practice in most U.S. states?
Answer: Prescribing pharmaceutical medications
Licensed acupuncturists cannot prescribe pharmaceutical drugs; that is reserved for prescribers such as physicians.