Medical Ethics & Patient Rights Flashcards
7 cards from real CPT 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
Which federal law primarily governs the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI) in the United States?
Answer: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA is the primary federal law protecting PHI privacy and security in healthcare settings.
A patient asks to review their own prosthetic fitting records. Under HIPAA, the facility must generally provide access within:
Answer: 30 days
HIPAA requires covered entities to provide patients access to their records within 30 days of the request.
What is the ethical obligation when a prosthetic technician makes an error that could affect patient safety?
Answer: Disclose the error to the supervising clinician and document it appropriately
Professional ethics require transparent disclosure of errors to supervising clinicians and proper documentation for patient safety.
Which of the following is an example of a HIPAA-permitted disclosure without patient authorization?
Answer: Disclosing information required for public health reporting
HIPAA permits disclosure without authorization for public health activities such as disease reporting.
When a patient lacks decision-making capacity, who is typically authorized to provide substituted consent for prosthetic care?
Answer: A legally designated healthcare proxy or guardian
A healthcare proxy, power of attorney, or court-appointed guardian makes decisions for patients who lack capacity.
Professional boundary violations in patient care most commonly occur when a technician:
Answer: Develops a personal or romantic relationship with a patient
Personal or romantic relationships with patients cross professional boundaries and compromise ethical care.
A minor patient's parent requests that the technician withhold the diagnosis from the child. The most ethical approach is to:
Answer: Consider the minor's age and maturity, and involve the care team in the decision
Age-appropriate disclosure is an ethical standard; clinicians must balance parental authority with the developing autonomy of the minor.