10.1 Healthcare ethics and legal considerations

what are the 4 principles of healthcare ethics

autonomy non maleficence beneficence justice

autonomy

respect a person’s freedom to choose what is right for them

non maleficence

do no harm

beneficience

all choices made for a patient are intently good

justice

treat and provide care fairly to all patients

autonomy in audiology example

choose HA or cochlear implant or no hearing aid at all

justice example in audiology

someone who pays for a HA entirely out of pocket or on age pension versus someone who is DVA funded

audiology is governed by what entity

self regulating bodies like Audiology Australia (non APHRA)

duty of care Wrongs Act

risk was foreseeable

and

risk was not insignificant

a reasonable person in the person’s position would have taken those precautions

Professional standard of care section 59 of Wrongs Act

doing according to what profession is doing, what colleagues are doing

privacy legislation in Audiology

protect personal and health information of a person, ensuring confidentiality

when can personal information be disclosed?

client consent

legal requirements

health and safety emergencies

future workplaces

provide guidance on how to conduct yourself

how should records be treated?

keep accurate records and be vigilant regarding the security of patient client information (sensitive and protected data)

information including all key decisions made should be recorded

in a clinical record (any communication about patient)

PoA

duty of care where a person is able to make decisions on behalf of someone

Hearing Professional Conduct and Complaints Body (HPCCB)

joint body for 2 professional bodies:

audiology australia

australian college of audiology

deals with complaints which are reported and dealt with in appropriate way

what are the main responsibilities of audiologists

duty of care

professional standard of care

patient confidentiality

approving decisions from PoA requests

ensure audiologists act according to

requirements of employer and act according to colleagues in same profession

write down all key decisions made and recognise what information needs to go into clinical records

document who has PoA and what decisions are made