Medical Law and Ethics: The Physician-Patient Relationship

Medical Law and Ethics
FIFTH EDITION
The Physician-Patient
Relationship
CHAPTER 5
Journal Topic: What rights does
a physician have when
practicing medicine and
when accepting a patient.
Medical Law and Ethics, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2016, 2012, 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Bonnie F. Fremgen All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
1. Define the key terms.

2. Describe the rights a physician has
when practicing medicine and when
accepting a patient.
3. Discuss the nine principles of medical
ethics as designated by the American
Medical Association (AMA).
continued on next slide

Learning Objectives
4. Summarize “A Patient’s Bill of Rights.”

5. Understand standard of care and how
it is applied to the practice of
medicine.
6. Discuss three patient self-
determination acts.
7. Describe the difference between
implied consent and informed consent.
Physician–Patient Relationship
• Both must agree to form relationship

for there to be contract for services
(implied contract)
• Under contract for services, patient can
expect doctor to provide medical
service for as long as necessary

Physician–Patient Relationship
• Patient must confide truthfully to

physician
 Physician is not liable if critical
information withheld
• Patient information is confidential
 Includes overheard or read
Physician's Rights
• Right to select patients

• Right to refuse service to patients
• Right to determine type of services
provided
• Right to be paid for services rendered
• Right to withdraw from relationship
• Right to vacation and time off
Physician's Responsibilities
• AMA's Statement of Principles

 Human dignity
 Honesty
 Responsibility to society
 Confidentiality
 Continued study

Physician's Responsibilities
• AMA's Statement of Principles

 Freedom of choice
 Responsibility to improve community
 Responsibility to patient is paramount
 Must support access to medical care for
all people
Physician's Duties
• Patient welfare above financial interests

• Professional courtesy
• Report any unethical conduct by other
physicians
• Recommend second opinions when
necessary

Physician's Duties
• Do not engage in sexual conduct with a

patient during the physician-patient
relationship
• Do not treat family members except in
emergencies
Professional Practice
Responsibilities
• Duties during a medical emergency
 Cannot ethically or legally turn away
patient in an emergency situation
 If unable to treat patient, then must call
for emergency assistance
 Patients cannot be turned away if
indigent or uninsured
Duty to Treat Indigent Patients
• "Dumping crisis"
 EMTALA
 Requires patient stabilization in an
emergency
• Physician has right to select which
patients to treat
• Physician does not have right to drop or
abandon patients once treatment is
agreed upon
Duty Not to Abandon a Patient
• Once physician agrees to take care of

patient, contract may not be improperly
terminated
• Physician may be charged with
abandonment if formal notice of
withdrawal is not given
 Civil wrong, or tort
• Physician must allow patient time to
seek service of another physician
Duty Not to Abandon a Patient
• Licensed healthcare providers are also

subject to this principle
 Dentists
 Physician assistants
 Nurse practitioners
Noncompliant and Incompetent
Patients
• Noncompliant
 Fails or refuses to cooperate
• Incompetent
 Unable to provide for own needs
 Status decided by court of law
Duty to Treat Patients with AIDS
• Unethical to refuse to treat, work with,

or provide housing for person who is
HIV-positive or has AIDS
• Physician, by law, must make full
report to state about any patient who is
HIV-positive or has AIDS
 Ethical dilemma
 Report required regardless of
consequence
Duty to Treat Patients with AIDS
• Ethical considerations
 Persuade patient to inform his or her
partner(s)
 Notify authorities if concerned that
patient will not inform others
 As last resort, notify patient's partner(s)
Exposure of Health Care Workers
to Patient's Blood
• A 0.3 percent risk of contracting HIV
after blood exposure, according to the
CDC
• HIV testing of patient's blood allowed in
some states
Restrictions on HIV-Infected
Healthcare Workers
• Various recommendations, but no rules
 AMA
 American Academy of Orthopedic
Surgeons
 Federation of State Medical Boards
• Strongest statement
• Recommends names of HIV-infected
healthcare workers be reported

Restrictions on HIV-Infected
Healthcare Workers
• Various recommendations, but no rules
 CDC
• Testing all healthcare workers would be
prohibitive
• No ethical duty to disclose HIV status if
no significant risk presented to patients
Duty to Properly Identify Patients
• Identify patient both by stating his or

her name and examining any other
identification
 Arm band
 Driver's license
 Use discretion with patient sign-in
sheets to protect confidentiality
 Have patient state name
Duty to Respect Confidentiality
• Speak in low voice

• Glass enclosure should separate front
desk receptionist from waiting room
• Sign-in sheet should consider
protection from subsequent patients
Duty to Tell the Truth
• Many believe principles of justice apply

when dealing with truth-telling
• Try to determine the "just" action for
patient
• Just action may be at variance with
obligation of confidentiality
• Confidentiality may be overridden when
life or safety of patient is endangered
Patient's Rights
• Right to confidentiality
 Privileged communication
• Right to give informed consent
• Right to privacy
• Right to be informed of advantages and
potential risks of treatment
• Right to refuse treatment
Confidentiality
• All information and records about

treatment will be kept confidential by
physician and staff unless consent to
release is obtained
 Breach of confidentiality is both
unethical and illegal

Confidentiality
• Medical Patients Rights Act

 All patients are entitled to have privacy
respected and medical records handled
confidentially
• Privileged communication
 Confidential information told to a
physician or attorney by a patient
• HIPAA regulations must be observed
(Chapter 10)
Patient Self-Determination Acts
• Advanced directive
 Living will
• "Do Not Resuscitate" order
 Durable power of attorney
 Uniform Anatomical Gift Act
• Patient may revoke these documents
• Family may consent on the deceased
patient's behalf
Definition of Minors
• Minor
 Person under the age of maturity (18 in
most states)
• In Loco parentis
 Person assigned by court to stand in
place of parents
• Parens patriae
 State takes over care for minor

• Mature minor
 Person in mid to late teens who, for
health care purposes, is considered
mature enough to comprehend
physician recommendations and give
informed consent

• Emancipated minor
 Person in mid to late teens who legally
lives outside parents' or guardian's
control
 Proof should be included in medical
record
The Patient's Responsibilities
• Follow physician's instructions

• Make follow-up appointments and
monitor treatment and medication use
if requested
by physician
• Be honest
• Pay for medical services
• Provide informed consent
Consent
• Voluntary agreement by patient to

allow medically trained person to touch,
examine, and perform treatment
• Two types
 Informed (expressed) consent
 Implied consent
Doctrine of Informed Consent
• Informed or Expressed Consent

 Patient agrees to course of treatment
after being told consequences of having
or not having certain procedures and
treatments
 Signature indicates patient understands
limits or risks involved as explained by
physician

• Requires physician to explain in

understandable language
 Diagnosis
 Nature of proposed treatment
 Advantages and risks of treatment
 Alternative treatments available to
patient

• Requires physician to explain in

understandable language
 Potential outcomes of treatment
 What might occur—risk and benefits—if
treatment is refused
Implied Consent
• Patient indicates by behavior that he or

she accepts procedure
 i.e., offers arm to have blood sample
drawn
• Consent is assumed in medical
emergencies, when patient cannot
respond to give consent
Exceptions to Consent
• Need not inform of commonly known

risks
• Need not inform if disclosure of risks
may be detrimental to patient
• Need not inform if patient asks
physician not to disclose risks

Exceptions to Consent
• Not required to restore patients to

original health
• Cannot elicit cure for every patient
• Cannot guarantee successful results of
every treatment
Refusal to Grant Consent
• Adult patients conscious and mentally

capable have right to refuse any
medical or surgical treatment
• Refusal must be honored no matter
what patient's reasoning
• Failure to respect right of refusal could
result in liability for assault and battery
Role of Health Care Consumer
• Do not self-medicate
• Be honest with physician
• Assist physician in prevention of
medical errors

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Medical Law and Ethics

1. Define the key terms.

continued on next slide

4. Summarize “A Patient’s Bill of Rights.”

• Both must agree to form relationship

continued on next slide

• Patient must confide truthfully to

• Right to select patients

• AMA's Statement of Principles

continued on next slide

• AMA's Statement of Principles

• Patient welfare above financial interests

continued on next slide

• Do not engage in sexual conduct with a

• Once physician agrees to take care of

• Licensed healthcare providers are also

• Unethical to refuse to treat, work with,

continued on next slide

• Identify patient both by stating his or

• Speak in low voice

• Many believe principles of justice apply

• All information and records about

continued on next slide

• Medical Patients Rights Act

continued on next slide

continued on next slide

• Follow physician's instructions

• Voluntary agreement by patient to

• Informed or Expressed Consent

continued on next slide

• Requires physician to explain in

continued on next slide

• Requires physician to explain in

• Patient indicates by behavior that he or

• Need not inform of commonly known

continued on next slide

• Not required to restore patients to

• Adult patients conscious and mentally

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