Chapter 14 — Medical Law / Ethics / Scope of Practice

HIPAA

Protects the privacy and security of patient health information

Protected health information

Identifiable patient health information protected by HIPAA

Release of information

Authorization used to permit disclosure of protected information

Incident report

Internal report documenting an unusual event or accident

Incident report and medical record

The incident report itself should not be placed in the patient's medical record

Incident report documentation

Record objective facts rather than opinions

Negligence

Failure to exercise reasonable care

Assault

Threat or attempt that causes fear of unwanted contact

Battery

Intentional unauthorized physical contact

MA scope of practice

Medical assistants work within duties allowed by law and supervision

Reinforcing provider instructions

Generally an appropriate MA function

Ordering additional laboratory tests independently

Outside the MA's scope of practice