Ethics Terms

Autonomy

Self-governing

Beneficence

Doing good; active promotion of goodness, kindness, & charity

Consequentialism

Whether something is good or bad depends on its outcomes

Ethical Dilemmas

Challenge as to what to do about two or more equally difficult problems

Fidelity

Strict observance of duties, loyalty, & faithfulness to others

Justice

Equitable conduct when dealing with others

Moral principles

Universal guides that come from basic moral truths

Morals

Generally accepted customs & conduct in society

Nonconsequentialism

Denies that rightness is determined solely by consequences

Nonmaleficence

High value of avoiding harm to others

Principle-based ethics

Using moral principles for resolving an ethical dilemma

Principlism

Approach using structure of ethical principles

Veracity

Telling the truth

Virtues

Traits of character that are socially valued

Virtue-based ethics

Trait-like strength for morally valued actions

Code of ethics

Document establishing ethical rules for profession members

Duties

Obligations on individuals, groups, and institutions

Ethics

Study of rightness & wrongness of human conduct

Ethical outrage

Gross violation of decency or human rights

Ethics of care

Ethical reflections emphasizing intimate relationships and virtues like sympathy and compassion

Ethical theories

Moral principles used to solve ethical dilemmas

Norms

Patterns of performance and standards

Professional ethics

Internal controls of a profession based on values/principles

Profession etiquette

Attitude and manners accepted by members of a profession

Rights-based ethics

Ethical behavior upholding the rights of people

Rules of ethics

Mandatory standards of professional conduct

Social contract

Agreement establishing moral and political rules of behavior

Standards of professional conduct

Practiced behaviors of a profession

Values

Individual’s judgment of what is important

Value system

Hierarchy of values reflected in choices

Advanced Directives

A person of choice who can make health care choices for you when you cannot

American Hospital Association (AHA)

National organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT-4)

Uniform coding system consisting of descriptive terms and 5 digit codes that are used primarily to identify medical services and procedures

Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG)

Systematic system that categories treated patients based on diagnoses, surgical procedures,age, sex, & discharge status

DNR – Do not resuscitate

Doctors written order that no CPR is to be performed if a patient stops breathing or their heart stops

Electronic Health Record (EHR)

An electronic version of a patient’s medical history that is maintained by the provider. Includes key administrative clinical data, demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, & more

Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

Digital versions of the paper patient chart

Healthcare Proxy

Attorney or health care surrogate that will help ensure you get the health care you prefer in the event you cannot communicate your wishes

Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP)

Formal authority and nationally recognized accreditation organization for hospitals and other healthcare settings

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10)

An international system used by physicians to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures for claims processing

Health Information Management Practitioners (HIM)

Practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital & traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care. A combination of business, science, & information technology

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

Federal law developed in 1996. Required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patients consent

Living Will

Specific types of medical care that a person wishes to receive if that person is no longer able to make medical decisions because of a terminal illness or being permanently unconscious

Patient Bill of Rights

A document that provides patients with information on how they can reasonably expect to be treated during the course of their hospital stay. Most often not legally-binding

The Joint Commission (TJC)

Organization that accredits and certifies healthcare organizations for the purpose of seeking to continuously improve health care for the public

Assault

Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person i.e., verbally threatening to harm someone

Battery

Any unlawful touching of another person i.e., physically harming someone

Contract

An agreement between two or more persons or parties which creates an obligation to do or not to do a particular thing

Defamation

False statements presented as fact that harm someone’s reputation or character

False imprisonment

Healthcare professional intentionally restricts a patient’s movement without a written physical order

Fraud

Healthcare worker or individual deceives an insurer in order to receive greater reimbursement

Implied consent

Act of granting permission to perform a medical treatment/procedure without explicitly asking for permission

Informed consent

Patients are given important information about medical treatment/procedure, genetic testing, or a clinical trial, including the possible risks and benefits to help them decide if they want to be treated, tested, or take part in the trial.

Negligence

Deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances

Res ipsa loquitur

“The thing speaks for itself”, a negligent act that cannot be proved but it is clear that the injury was caused by negligence

Respondeat superior

General rule that an employer is responsible for the negligent acts or omissions of its employees

Standard of care

Treatment that is accepted by medical experts as a proper treatment for a certain type of disease and is widely used by healthcare professionals

Tort

Private or civil wrong or injury for which the court provides a remedy in the form of an action for damages, when a medical professional acts in a negligent manner and injures someone in their care

Abuse

Any action or failure to act that causes unreasonable suffering, misery, or harm.

Addiction

A treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, environment, and life experiences.

Birth certificate

An official record of a person’s date and place of birth.

Communicable disease

A disease spread from one person to another through various ways (e.g., blood, bodily fluids, airborne virus, insect bites).

Controlled Substances Act

1970 act regulating substances that may be abused or cause addiction, categorized into schedules with Schedule I having the highest abuse potential.

Coroner

Individual who investigates deaths where the cause is unknown or suspected to be from unnatural causes.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Employer program that helps employees with issues contributing to stress, which may affect work performance.

Intimate partner violence (IPV)

Pattern of assaultive and coercive behavior aimed at establishing control of one partner over another, including physical injury, psychologic abuse, sexual assault, etc.

Inquest

Formal inquiry into the causes and circumstances surrounding a person's death, conducted by the coroner.

Medical examiner

Physician who investigates and examines persons dying of sudden, unexpected, or violent death to determine cause and manner of death.

Older Americans Act of 1987 (OAA)

Law promoting the well-being of adults 60+ by helping them live healthy, independent lives through various services.

Postmortem

Occurring, collected, or performed after death.

Statutory reporting

Legal requirement to report particular matters in healthcare.

Mandated reporter

Person with a duty to report known or suspected abuse or neglect relating to children, elders, or dependent adults.

Vital statistics

Statistics relating to births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease.