Bioethics and Medical Law Flashcards

Which ethical principle requires physicians to act in the best interest of the patient?

Answer: Beneficence

Beneficence obligates physicians to take positive actions that promote the health and well-being of their patients.

A competent adult patient refuses a life-saving blood transfusion for religious reasons. The physician should:

Answer: Respect the refusal and provide alternative care

A competent adult's right to refuse treatment, even life-saving treatment, is protected by the ethical principle of autonomy and upheld by US law.

Informed consent requires the physician to disclose which of the following elements?

Answer: Diagnosis, treatment options, risks, benefits, and alternatives

Valid informed consent requires disclosure of the diagnosis, proposed treatment, material risks and benefits, alternatives, and consequences of refusal.

Under HIPAA, protected health information (PHI) may be disclosed without patient authorization for which purpose?

Answer: Public health reporting of communicable diseases

HIPAA permits disclosure of PHI without authorization for public health activities such as reporting communicable diseases to state health departments.

A physician discovers that a colleague is impaired by substance use and posing a risk to patients. The physician's ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Report the colleague to the appropriate authority or licensing board

Physicians have a professional duty to protect patients from harm, which requires reporting an impaired colleague to hospital administration or the state medical board.

The legal doctrine of 'respondeat superior' means that in a medical malpractice case:

Answer: An employer is liable for the negligent acts of employees acting within scope of employment

Respondeat superior ('let the master answer') holds hospitals or physician employers vicariously liable for negligence committed by their employed staff.