Medical Law and Ethics Flashcards
6 cards from real SCMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Medical Law and Ethics flashcards as text
A medical assistant overhears a coworker sharing a patient's test results with an unauthorized family member. What should the medical assistant do?
Answer: Report the incident to the supervisor or compliance officer
HIPAA violations must be reported through proper channels; the medical assistant has an ethical and potentially legal obligation to report the breach.
What is the ethical principle of 'justice' in healthcare?
Answer: Treating all patients fairly and equitably regardless of background
Justice in healthcare ethics means treating all patients fairly, equitably, and without discrimination based on race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other factors.
Which of the following actions represents the ethical principle of nonmaleficence?
Answer: Refusing to perform a procedure that poses undue risk without benefit
Nonmaleficence means 'do no harm' — refusing a high-risk, low-benefit procedure exemplifies avoiding unnecessary harm.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what is a medical practice required to provide?
Answer: Reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access for patients with disabilities
The ADA requires healthcare providers to make reasonable accommodations — such as accessible facilities and communication aids — to ensure equal access for patients with disabilities.
A patient refuses a recommended blood transfusion based on religious beliefs. What is the medical assistant's appropriate response?
Answer: Respect the refusal, document it, and ensure the provider is informed
Patient autonomy includes the right to refuse treatment for religious or personal reasons; the refusal must be respected, documented, and communicated to the provider.
Which federal legislation protects employees from workplace retaliation when they report healthcare fraud or safety violations?
Answer: False Claims Act (Whistleblower Provisions)
The False Claims Act's whistleblower provisions protect healthcare employees who report fraudulent billing or safety violations from employer retaliation.
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