Transcript Unit 2 Seminar

Medical Law and Bioethics
UNIT TWO SEMINAR
HEALTH
What is your definition of
“health?”
DEFINITION OF “HEALTH”
• The state of well-being or absence of
illness.
• The general condition of body and mind.
• Soundness, especially of body or mind;
freedom from disease or abnormality.
• A condition of optimal well-being.
• The state of being bodily and mentally
vigorous and free from disease.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL?
A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL …
• treats patients who are
injured, sick, disabled, or
infirm.
• is a person who delivers proper
health care in a systematic
way professionally to any
individual in need of health
care services.
WHO IS CONSIDERED
A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL?
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Physicians
Therapists
Dentists
Psychologists
Nurse Practitioners
Chiropractors
Physician Assistants
Physical Therapists
Support Staff
Optometrists
Nurses
Paramedics
Pharmacists
WHAT ARE SOME QUALITIES OF
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS?
DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS
Empathy
Honesty
Dependability
Willingness to learn
Patience
Acceptance of criticism
Enthusiasm
DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS (CONT.)
Self-motivation or self-initiative
Tact
Competence
Responsibility
Discretion
Team player
SUMMARY
• All characteristics and attitudes must be
practiced and learned.
• Some take more time to develop.
• Be aware of these characteristics.
• Strive constantly to improve.
• The characteristics will help you provide
good patient care.
• Possessing these characteristics will
make you a valuable asset to your
employer and others.
A COURT CASE …
Physician Disciplined by Board of Medical Examiners
A licensed pharmacist and a state pharmacy board
investigator called a state’s Board of Medical Examiners to
express concern about a physician’s prescription practices.
The board investigated and found the physician had
deviated from accepted standard of care by:
• Inadequately evaluating patients before prescribing
antidepressants and failing to document reasons for
prescriptions or following up on patient’s use of the
prescribed medications.
A COURT CASE …(CONT.)
• Prescribing antibiotics for prolonged periods as
treatment for urinary tract infections without
determining that the infections had recurred or
documenting the recurrence of the infections. The
physician had also prescribed several antibiotics to a
patient at once, allowing the patient to choose which
antibiotic was the most effective.
• Prescribing narcotic and anxiolytic medications
(drugs that relieve anxiety) to patients with
nonterminal chronic pain without adequately
pursuing and documenting use of available
alternatives to narcotics and controlled
medications.
A COURT CASE …(CONT.)
Based on the above findings, the Board of Medical
Examiners placed the physician on probation for two
years and ordered him to secure 60 hours of continuing
education in the treatment of urinary tract infections,
medical treatment of the elderly, management of chronic
pain patients, and record keeping. He was also ordered to
make prescription records available at all times for board
inspection and was directed to stop making telephone
refills for prescriptions of controlled medications.
Miller v. Board of Medical Examiners, 609 N.W.2d, 2000
Iowa Sup. LEXIS 68.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
MA
MD
DO
RN
PA-C
DC
CNM
NP
CNA
ETHICAL ISSUE – YOU DECIDE …
Family members of a certified medical
assistant (CMA) employed by a medical clinic
in a small community often ask the CMA for
medical advice. Two of her family members
have asked her to bring antibiotic samples
home for them.
Discussion Question: In your opinion, would it
be ethical for the CMA to give medical advice to
her own family members? To bring drug
samples home for them? Explain your
responses.
HOW DO TEAMS WORK
TOGETHER TO PROVIDE QUALITY
PATIENT CARE?
TEAMWORK
• In any health care career, you will be
part of an interdisciplinary health care
team.
• Team concept was created to provide
quality holistic health care for every
patient.
• Teamwork consists of many
professionals, with different levels of
education, ideas, backgrounds, and
interests, working together for the good
of the patient.
TEAMWORK (CONTINUED)
• Teamwork improves communication
and continuity of care
• Every person on the team must
understand the role of each team
member
• A leader is an important part of any
team
• Good interpersonal relationships
are essential
• Legal responsibilities
WHAT ARE THE ATTRIBUTES OF
A STRONG TEAM?
TEAMWORK
• Respect the opinion of others
• Be open-minded and willing
to compromise
• Don’t criticize others
• Practice good communication skills
• Support and encourage team
members
• Perform your duties to the best of
your ability
DELIVERY OF
HEALTH CARE SERVICES
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•
•
Services are paid for by the patient or by the
patient's insurance company; although they
may be government-financed.
Most common way is face-to-face delivery,
where the care provider and patient see each
other “in the flesh.”
With modern telecommunications technology,
in absentia health care is becoming more
common. Practitioner and patient
communicate over the phone, video
conferencing, the internet, email, text
messages, or any other form of non-face-to-face
communication.
MEDICAL PRACTICES
What are the types of medical practices
offered to patients today?
MEDICAL PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
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•
•
•
•
Solo Practice
Partnership
Associate Practice
Group Practice
Professional Corporation
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Allied health professionals work
with physicians and other
members of the health care team
to deliver high-quality patient
care services for identifying,
preventing, and treating disease
and disabilities.
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
They are essentially everyone working in health
care other than doctors and nurses!
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
• There are approximately 200
recognized allied health professions
• Allied health professionals make up
an estimated 60% of the US health
care workforce
• Almost all allied health professions
are experiencing shortages—many
greater than those in nursing
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
 Seven of the top 10 fastest growing occupations,
according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:
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•
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•
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Medical assistant
Physician assistant
Social and human service assistant
Home health aide
Medical records & health information
technician
Physical therapist aide
Physical therapist assistant
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Allied Health Professions
30.4%
34.9%
Nursing aides, orderlies &
attendants
LPNs
RN's
9.5%
4.1%
16.0%
5.0%
Physicians
Administrative, support
services
THE END