Updated to reflect new health care regulations and technology, LAW, LIABILITY, AND ETHICS FOR MEDICAL OFFICE PROFESSIONALS, SIXTH EDITION prepares future medical assistants for the legal and ethical dilemmas they’ll face in medical environments. Beginning with business-related issues and the court system, chapters next take readers through the standard of care, employment, criminal and tortious acts, contractual issues, negligence, medical malpractice, and other important matters of law. The second half of the book delves into the ethical concerns present in medical practices, including patient confidentiality, health records, professional ethics, and the issues associated with patient births and deaths. A practical resource for novices and seasoned professionals, the book also offers real-life cases and news stories to ground readers in relevant laws and ethical issues, along with chapter-ending activities to practice their own decision-making skills. Thoughtful and thorough, LAW, LIABILITY, AND ETHICS FOR MEDICAL OFFICE PROFESSIONALS, SIXTH EDITION shows medical assisting students their legal and ethical obligations, when to seek legal advice and how to work with the legal profession, and how to protect themselves and their future employers from medical malpractice and other complaints.

Preface.
1. The Big Business of Health Care and You.
2. Laws and Regulations You Will Encounter.
3. From the Constitution to the Courtroom.
4. Criminal Acts and Intentional Torts.
5. What Makes a Contract.
6. Medical Malpractice and Other Lawsuits.
7. The Health Record.
8. Introduction to Ethics.
9. Laws and Ethics of Patient Confidentiality.
10. Professional Ethics and the Living.
11. Birth and the Beginning of Life.
12. Death and Dying.
Glossary.
Bibliography.

Updated to reflect new health care regulations and technology, LAW, LIABILITY, AND ETHICS FOR MEDICAL OFFICE PROFESSIONALS, SIXTH EDITION prepares future medical assistants for the legal and ethical dilemmas they’ll face in medical environments. Beginning with business-related issues and the court system, chapters next take readers through the standard of care, employment, criminal and tortious acts, contractual issues, negligence, medical malpractice, and other important matters of law. The second half of the book delves into the ethical concerns present in medical practices, including patient confidentiality, health records, professional ethics, and the issues associated with patient births and deaths. A practical resource for novices and seasoned professionals, the book also offers real-life cases and news stories to ground readers in relevant laws and ethical issues, along with chapter-ending activities to practice their own decision-making skills. Thoughtful and thorough, LAW, LIABILITY, AND ETHICS FOR MEDICAL OFFICE PROFESSIONALS, SIXTH EDITION shows medical assisting students their legal and ethical obligations, when to seek legal advice and how to work with the legal profession, and how to protect themselves and their future employers from medical malpractice and other complaints. New and Updated Material. Added content reflects recent legislation and new case law, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), Affordable Care Act (ACA), telemedicine, and euthanasia, among other critical topics. Contemporary News and Cases. Packed with fresh news stories and legal cases, the sixth edition examines important trends and issues affecting health care laws and ethics in medical office settings today. Simplified Summaries. Now streamlined, the end-of-chapter summaries present as a bulleted list to help readers understand core chapter content at-a-glance. NEW Digital Resources. Designed to coordinate with the sixth edition, MindTap® Health Services offers a variety of study features and apps — from note-taking and case studies to flashcards and quizzing — to give students an edge in the classroom and beyond. Professional Focus. Designed specifically for medical office professionals, this text addresses the fundamental legal and ethical issues present in today’s busy medical practices. Orderly Learning. Each chapter begins with a set of key learning objectives and ends with a bulleted list of key concepts, clearly bookending each chapter with the most important takeaways. Legalese Support. A list of key terms at the start of each chapter and boldfaced key terms with their definitions throughout help readers acclimate to the language of the law and grasp new legal concepts. Substantive Cases. Summaries of real legal cases presented in the chapters highlight the legal issues and actions most prevalent in health care today. Topical Stories. Timely examples of legal and ethical health care dilemmas in the news, as well as controversies and discoveries in health care, illustrate chapter concepts and promote engaging discussions.