3.00 Credits
This course examines legal and ethical environments that govern healthcare organizations and professionals. Students will explore the legal environment in healthcare including laws and regulations, legal principles, public health law; regulatory compliances, institutional and professional liability, patient rights, medical records and disclosure of patient information, informed consent, physician-patient relationships, risk management, medical malpractice and legislative activities, billing and coding practices, medical staff credentialing, and the role of the healthcare manager in organizational compliance, including licensing and accreditation agencies. Students will also explore the legal and ethical dilemmas confronting consumers, healthcare organizations and professionals. Current ethical ideas and issues in healthcare and the healthcare system are introduced. Contemporary issues confronting those delivering and using healthcare will be examined. Case studies require students to apply critical thinking in ethical decision making situations encountered by healthcare professionals and apply ethical principles and theories of decision making in analysis of ethical dilemmas. Topics include the moral basis of ethics, ethical principles, organizational philosophy, duties, conflict of interest, resource allocation, confidentiality, end-of-life, and other biomedical and administrative issues. Prerequisites: HCM 200 and HCM 210.