HIMS 1150 - Introduction to Medical Law and Ethics

4.5 Credits

Students gain a foundation in the legal and ethical principles associated with working in a healthcare setting. Topics include but are not limited to patient rights, informed consent, confidentiality (HIPAA), medical malpractice, advanced directives, bioethical issues, and professional codes of conduct. Students explore current legal, ethical and moral dilemmas and identify issues related to potential legal liability, privacy, security, and fraud issues in the workplace. Students evaluate legal and ethical concepts in terms of maintaining confidentiality during patient encounters and within electronic medical records. Students gain knowledge of workplace safety practices, risk management, and relevant employment laws.

Lecture Hours: 4.5
Lab Hours: 0.0
Internship Hours: 0.0
Clinical or Practicum Hours: 0.0

Course Objectives

Interpret ethical and legal terminology as it relates to the medical profession.
Understand why the knowledge of law and ethics is important to health care practitioners.
Identify the principles of value choice theories and their impact on the principles of healthcare ethics.
Define professional liability and medical malpractice, and identify measures to prevent litigation.
Identify measures to protect the privacy and disclosure of health information as major changes in technology occur.
Describe how the laws affect the workplace as related to employment, safety of staff and patients, universal precautions, and workers’ compensation laws.
Practice critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills to address various ethical and legal issues in the healthcare field.

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