Medical Law and Ethics Flashcards
6 cards from real RMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Medical Law and Ethics flashcards as text
When a physician documents 'objective' findings in a SOAP note, which of the following would be considered an objective finding?
Answer: Lung auscultation reveals bilateral crackles; temperature 38.6°C
Objective findings are measurable, observable data gathered by the clinician — such as physical exam findings (crackles on auscultation) and vital signs (measured temperature) — as opposed to what the patient reports.
Which federal act establishes patients' rights to access their medical records, request amendments, and receive an accounting of disclosures?
Answer: HIPAA Privacy Rule
The HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 164) specifically grants patients the right to access their PHI, request corrections, and receive an accounting of non-routine disclosures made without their authorization.
What is the statute of limitations and why is it important in medical malpractice cases?
Answer: The time period within which a plaintiff must file a lawsuit after an injury occurs
The statute of limitations is the legally defined window of time — varying by state and case type — within which a patient (plaintiff) must initiate a malpractice lawsuit; failing to file within this period permanently bars the claim.
A physician delegates a task to a medical assistant that is outside the medical assistant's training and scope of practice. If the patient is harmed, which legal concept holds the physician primarily responsible?
Answer: Negligent delegation
Negligent delegation occurs when a supervisor assigns a task to a person who lacks the competency, training, or legal authority to perform it safely; the delegating physician bears legal responsibility for any resulting patient harm.
Which type of consent is typically documented when a patient agrees to have blood drawn for routine lab work?
Answer: Implied consent
Implied consent is inferred from a patient's actions — such as extending their arm for a blood draw — and is considered sufficient for routine, low-risk procedures with obvious intent.
Which federal agency enforces HIPAA privacy and security compliance and investigates complaints against covered entities?
Answer: Office for Civil Rights (OCR), within HHS
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the federal authority responsible for enforcing HIPAA privacy, security, and breach notification rules.