ALHS 2314 - Medical Law and Ethics

3 sem hrs cr

This course provides an introduction to legal and ethical issues that impact healthcare professionals. Laws and regulations related to the healthcare industry such as HIPAA, Patient Bill of Rights, and standard of care are addressed. In addition, ethical and moral issues that healthcare professionals may encounter are presented. The student will develop an understanding of the unique interplay of the new and changing healthcare, technology, workforce, research, financing, regulation, and personal and professional behaviors, values, and assumptions that underlie the current healthcare system. (3 lecture hours/week; not part of a TN Transfer Pathway.)

Transfer (UT) or Non-Transfer Course (UN): UN

Students will be able to…

• analyze issues of law and ethics as related to healthcare.
• apply the primary decision-making models for examining ethical dilemmas.
• appreciate why an understanding of the legal profession is necessary for a healthcare professional.
• determine the similarities and differences between laws, ethics, and moral issues.
• differentiate between a physician’s rights in the practice of medicine and the patient’s Bill of Rights.
• assess the importance of confidentiality in the healthcare setting from both a legal and ethical standpoint.
• analyze the impact that local, state, and federal legislation have on practices found in healthcare.
• compare and contrast the roles of various members of the healthcare team in terms of standard of care.
• discuss the major elements of the current healthcare environment in the United States.
• evaluate the effect of personal ethics on personal job performance in a healthcare setting.
• determine the impact of regulations on hiring practices, employee health and safety, and employment opportunities.
• debate ethical and moral issues in healthcare as relates to professional liability and medical malpractice.
• determine the role of cultural, social, and ethnic diversity within healthcare.
• analyze the importance of complying with laws that regulate the practice of healthcare.
• describe the purpose of medical records and the legal and ethical considerations required to maintain patient confidentiality.