CCSP Medical and Legal Aspects 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal act prohibits discrimination against athletes with disabilities and may affect return-to-play decisions for athletes with chronic conditions in scholastic settings?
- HIPAA
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- The Rehabilitation Act Section 504 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The Rehabilitation Act Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act specifically applies to federally funded educational programs and prohibits exclusion of qualified individuals with disabilities, including student-athletes.
Question 2: An athlete discloses a mental health condition during intake but asks it be kept from coaches. Which principle MOST supports honoring this request?
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence
- Patient confidentiality and autonomy (Correct answer)
- Justice
Correct answer: Patient confidentiality and autonomy
Patient confidentiality and autonomy require that sensitive health disclosures not be shared without the patient's consent, absent a mandatory reporting obligation.
Question 3: What is the legal significance of documenting an athlete's refusal to follow the CCSP's recommended treatment plan?
- It transfers full legal liability to the athlete for any resulting harm
- It protects the CCSP by documenting that informed refusal was made and understood (Correct answer)
- It automatically terminates the provider-patient relationship
- It creates grounds for the team to remove the athlete from the roster
Correct answer: It protects the CCSP by documenting that informed refusal was made and understood
Documenting a patient's informed refusal of treatment protects the provider by demonstrating that risks were explained and the patient declined against medical advice.
Question 4: Which scenario BEST illustrates the concept of 'dual loyalty' conflict for a CCSP working with a professional sports team?
- Treating two athletes with similar injuries on the same day
- Feeling pressure from the team to clear an injured athlete for a championship game against the athlete's medical best interest (Correct answer)
- Referring an athlete to a specialist outside the team's preferred network
- Choosing between two equally effective treatment approaches
Correct answer: Feeling pressure from the team to clear an injured athlete for a championship game against the athlete's medical best interest
Dual loyalty conflict occurs when a sports clinician faces pressure to prioritize team interests (winning) over the athlete's individual health and medical interests.
Question 5: Under most state chiropractic practice acts, which of the following is OUTSIDE the scope of practice for a licensed chiropractor, even with CCSP credentials?
- Ordering diagnostic imaging such as X-rays
- Prescribing pharmaceutical medications (Correct answer)
- Performing soft tissue mobilization
- Providing nutritional counseling
Correct answer: Prescribing pharmaceutical medications
Prescribing pharmaceutical medications is outside the scope of chiropractic practice in all US states, regardless of post-graduate certifications held.
Question 6: A CCSP treating a minor athlete should obtain informed consent from which party?
- The minor athlete only, if they are deemed mature enough
- The team physician on behalf of the organization
- A parent or legal guardian, with assent from the minor when appropriate (Correct answer)
- The school athletic director as the supervising authority
Correct answer: A parent or legal guardian, with assent from the minor when appropriate
For minors, informed consent must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian, although age-appropriate assent from the minor is also ethically recommended.
Question 7: Which term describes a legal claim where a plaintiff must prove that the chiropractor's breach of duty directly caused the injury or harm suffered?
- Proximate cause (Correct answer)
- Assumption of risk
- Contributory negligence
- Res judicata
Correct answer: Proximate cause
Proximate cause is the element in negligence law requiring proof that the practitioner's breach of duty was the direct, foreseeable cause of the patient's harm.
CCSP Medical and Legal Aspects 4
Which federal act prohibits discrimination against athletes with disabilities and may affect return-to-play decisions for athletes with chronic conditions in scholastic settings?