Standard

 Rev: 01/2005

Rev. 02/2005

MAS 101 - Legal Aspects of  the Medical Office

Course Description

Introduces the basic concept of medical assisting and its relationship to the other health fields.  Emphasizes medical ethics, legal aspects of medicine, and the medical assistant's role as an agent of the physician.  Provides the student with knowledge of medical jurisprudence and the essentials of professional behavior.  Topics include:  introduction to medical assisting, introduction to medical law, physician-patient-assistant relationship, medical office in litigation, ethics and bioethical issues.

   

 

Competency Areas

Hours

Introduction to Medical Assisting

 

 

Introduction to Medical Law

Class

2

Physician-Patient-Assistant Relationship

D. Lab

0

Medical Office in Litigation

P. Lab/O.B.I.

0

Ethics

Credit

2

Bio-Ethical  Issues and State Law

 

 

 

Prerequisite:

Program Admission

Corequisite:

     

 

 

 

Course Guide

 

Competency

After completing this section, the student will:

Hours

Class

D.Lab

P.Lab/

O.B.I.

INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL

  ASSISTING

2

0

0

Role of the medical assistant

Identify clinical and administrative duties and various types of medical practices.

 

 

 

Professional organizations

 

Identify professional affiliation within the medical assisting field

 

 

 

History of medicine

Identify historical men and women and their medical contribution.

 

 

 

Future directions

Adhere to current government regulations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL

  LAW

 

2

0

0

Legal vocabulary

Define selected legal terms.

 

 

 

Criminal and civil law

Distinguish between criminal and civil causes of action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHYSICIAN-PATIENT-ASSISTANT

  RELATIONSHIP        

 

4

0

0

Types of contracts and consent

Distinguish between implied and expressed contracts and informed and uninformed consent.

 

 

 

Formation of a contract

Define the physician/patient/ assistant relationship initiation and termination.

 

 

 

Elements of a contract

Describe the three elements that make a contract valid.

 

 

 

Public duties

Identify duties of the physician to the public, and state the basic functions of the Medical Practice Acts.

 

 

 

Confidentiality

State the importance of privacy and privileged communication.

 

 

 

Medical records

State the ownership and apply the legal doctrine of privileged communication to the contents of the medical record.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEDICAL OFFICE IN LITIGATION

 

6

0

0

Legal vocabulary

Define selected legal terms.

 

 

 

Negligence versus malpractice

Distinguish between negligence and malpractice.

 

 

 

Elements of a civil malpractice suit

List the elements of a civil malpractice cause of action.

 

 

 

Personal and professional liability

Identify liability as it applies to personal and professional actions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ETHICS

 

4

0

0

Codes of ethics

Identify selected codes of ethics.

 

 

 

Professional behavior

 

Describe the actions and dress that contribute to a professional image.

 

 

 

Unethical conduct

List actions that indicate unethical conduct.

 

 

 

Bioethical Issues

Describe the factors to be considered when patients are making out the living will discuss and list Bio-ethical issues.

 

 

 

Abortions

Discuss arguments given pro and con to abortions

 

 

 

 

List theories of when life begins

 

 

 

 

Identify guidelines for abortion in ambulatory care

 

 

 

Organ Allocation

Discuss criteria/issues to be considered in organ procurement

 

 

 

 State Laws

Discuss current state laws relevant to the role of medical assistant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEATH and DYING

 

2

 

 

 

Psychological care

 

 

 

 

Care of the family members

 

 

 

 

Suggested Resources

 

American Association of Medical Assistants.  (1998).  Law for the medical office.  Chicago: Author.

Flight, M. R.  (1988).  Law, liability, and ethics for medical office personnelAlbany, NY: Delmar.

Hardy, C., & Martin, N.  (Latest edition).  Your role as a medical assistant.  Oradell, NJ: Medical Economics.

Lewis, M.A. & Tamparo, C.D.  (1998).  Medical law, ethics, and bioethics for ambulatory care. 4th ed. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.

Lewis, M. A., & Warden, C. D.  (1999).  Law and ethics in the medical office (2nd ed.).  Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.

Aiken, (2002). Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Occupations

Fremgen, Medical Law and Ethics, Prentice Hall.

Tamparo, Delmar's Comprehensive Medical Assisting, 2nd ed., Delmar.

Judson, Hicks. Law and Ethics for Medical Careers, 3rd ed., Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Lewis, Tamparo, Medical Law Ethics & Bioethics, 3rd ed., Delmar.

Flight &Myrtle. Law, Liability and Ethics for Medical Office Professionals, 3rd ed., Delmar.

Flight, Law, Liability and Ethics for the Medical Office, 4th ed., FA Davis.

Flight, Law, Liability and Ethics, 3rd ed., Delmar.

Lewis & Tamparo. Legal Aspects of the Medical Office, 5th ed., FA Davis.

Lewis & Tamparo, Medical Law, Ethics & Bioethics for Ambulatory Care, 4th ed., FA Davis.

Lewis & Tamparo, (2002). Medical Law, Ethics & Bioethics for Ambulatory Care, 5th ed., FA Davis.