PC Professional Ethics & Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A podiatrist discovers that a colleague is consistently billing Medicare for services not rendered. What is the ethically required first action?
- Ignore it to avoid workplace conflict
- Report the misconduct to the appropriate authority such as the state board or OIG (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague privately and take no further action if they deny it
- Notify only the office manager
Correct answer: Report the misconduct to the appropriate authority such as the state board or OIG
Fraudulent Medicare billing is a federal violation that must be reported to oversight authorities such as the Office of Inspector General.
Question 2: Which principle of medical ethics requires a podiatrist to act in the patient's best interest even when it conflicts with the podiatrist's financial gain?
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence obligates healthcare providers to promote patient welfare above personal financial interests.
Question 3: A patient requests a copy of their complete medical record. Under HIPAA, how long does a covered entity typically have to provide access?
- 7 days
- 30 days, with one 30-day extension if needed (Correct answer)
- 60 days
- 90 days
Correct answer: 30 days, with one 30-day extension if needed
HIPAA requires covered entities to provide access to records within 30 days, with one permissible 30-day extension.
Question 4: During an informed consent discussion, a patient who speaks limited English needs an interpreter. Which resource is most appropriate?
- Ask the patient's adult family member to interpret
- Use a qualified medical interpreter service (Correct answer)
- Provide a written consent form in English and have them sign
- Defer the procedure until the patient learns English
Correct answer: Use a qualified medical interpreter service
Qualified medical interpreters ensure accuracy and confidentiality, satisfying both ethical and legal standards for informed consent.
Question 5: A podiatrist is asked to provide an expert witness opinion that slightly overstates findings to benefit a colleague's malpractice defense. The ethical response is to:
- Comply as a professional courtesy
- Provide only an honest, objective opinion regardless of who benefits (Correct answer)
- Decline to testify entirely
- Submit a modified opinion with a private disclaimer
Correct answer: Provide only an honest, objective opinion regardless of who benefits
Expert witnesses have a duty to provide truthful, objective testimony; distorting findings constitutes perjury and an ethical violation.
Question 6: What term describes the ethical concept that patients have the right to make decisions about their own healthcare without undue influence?
- Paternalism
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
- Veracity
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is the principle recognizing a patient's right to self-determination in healthcare decisions.
Question 7: A podiatrist receives a gift valued at $200 from a medical supply company representative after agreeing to trial their products. This situation most likely represents:
- An acceptable professional courtesy
- A potential conflict of interest that should be disclosed or declined (Correct answer)
- Standard marketing practice with no ethical concern
- Appropriate compensation for time spent evaluating products
Correct answer: A potential conflict of interest that should be disclosed or declined
Gifts from industry representatives can create conflicts of interest and should be disclosed to patients or declined to preserve objectivity.
PC Professional Ethics & Communication 2
A podiatrist discovers that a colleague is consistently billing Medicare for services not rendered.
What is the ethically required first action?