Medical Law and Ethics

waived test

a lab test determined by HHS to meet the CLIA criteria for a simple procedure

HHS

department of Health and Human Services

moderate-complexity test

a non waived test performed at hospitals

high-complexity test

performed in laboratories

CMS

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

CLIA

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments

Patients' Bill of Rights

Consumer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Living Will

expresses an individuals wishes in case of terminal illness or accident

Phlebotomy

an invasive procedure

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

SDS

Safety Data Sheet

Standard Precautions

a set of infection control practices

Transmission-Based Precautions

contact precautions, airborne precautions, and droplet precautions

Contact Precautions

reduces the nosocomial transmission of infectious agents

Airborne Precautions

reduces the transmission of particles 0.001mm or less

Droplet Precautions

reduces the transmission of pathogens larger than 0.001mm

tort

a wrong committed against a person or a person's property intentional of unintentional

negligence

an unintentional wrong

malpractice

unintentional negligence by a professional person

intentional torts

acts that are meant to be harmful

defamation

injuring a person's name and reputation by making false statements to a third person

libel

making false statements in print, writing, or through pictures

Slander

making false statements orally

Invasion of privacy

violating a person's right not to have his or her private affairs exposed

fraud

saying or doing something to trick, fool, or deceive a person

assault

intentionally attempting to touch or threaten a person's body without their consent

battery

touching a person's body without their consent

abandonment

when a provider withdraws from the care of a patient without reasonable notice of discharge

implied consent

agreement implied by the patient

Informed consent

consent that is given by the patient

triage

sorting and setting priorities for treatment for patients who are on the phone or at the desk

sign

that which can be seen, heard, measured or felt by the examiner

symptom

a perceptible change in the body related to the patient

advanced directives

legal documents indicating the patient's choice for medical care and treatment in the event the patient is unable to make those decisions