 | Term | Definition |
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Litigious |
Prone to engage in lawsuits. |
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Plantiff |
the person bringing suit |
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defendant |
the person against whom the suit is brought. |
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liable |
legally responsible. |
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precedent |
a case that serves as a model for future cases. |
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fraud |
dishonest or deceitful practices in depriving, or attempting to deprive, another of his/her rights. |
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law |
rules of conduct or action prescribed or formerly recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority. |
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ethics |
standards of behavior, developed as a result of ones concept of right and wrong. |
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moral values |
ones' personal concept of right and wrong, formed through the influence of friends and family, culture and society. |
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code of ethics |
a system of principles intended to govern the behavior of those entrusted with providing care to the sick. |
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hippocratic oath |
a pledge for physicians, developed by greek physician Hippocrates circa 400 b.c. |
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bioethics |
a discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological research methods and results, esp. in medicine. |
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etiquette |
standards of behavior concidered good manners among members of a profession as they function as individuals in society. |
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articician insemination |
the mechanical injection of viable semen into the vagina. |
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comatose |
a condition of deep stupor. |
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accreditation |
official authorization or approval for conforming to a specified standard. |
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certification |
a voluntary credentialing process whereby applicants who meet specific requirements may recieve a certificate. |
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corperation |
a body formed and authorized by law to act as a single person. |
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endorsement |
the process in which a license may be awarded based on indivivual credentials judged to meet licensing requirements in a new state. |
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gatekeeper |
the primary care physician who directs the medical care of HMO members. |
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reciprocity |
the process by which aprofessional license obtained in one state may be accepted as valid in other states by prior agreement without reexamination. |
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registration |
a credentialing procedure whereby one's name is listed on a registered as having paid a fee and/or met certain criteria within a profession. |
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licensure |
a mandatory creditaling process established by law, usually at a state level, that grants the right to practice certain skills and endevors. |
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respondeat superior |
"let the master answer". A doctrine under which an employer is legally liable for the acts of of his/her employees, if such acts were performed within the scope of the employees' duties. |
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sole proprietorship |
a form of medical practice management in which a physician proctices alone, assuming all benefits and liabilities for the business. |
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partnership |
a form of medical practice management system whereby two or more parties practice toghther under a written agreement specifing the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of each partner. |
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group practice |
a medical management system in whic a group of 3+ licensed physicians share their collective income, expenses, facilitiesk equiptment, records, and personnel. |
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risk management |
steps taken to minimize danger, hazard, and liability. |
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surrogate |
a woman who becomes pregant, usu. by artificial inplantation of a fertilized egg, and bears a child for another woman. |
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palliative care |
treatment of a terminally ill patients symptoms in order to make dying more comfortable; also called comfort care. |
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felony |
an offense punishable by death or by imprisonment in a state or federal prison for more than 1 yr. |
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misdemeanor |
a crime punishable by fine or by imprisonment in a facility other than a prison for less than 1 yr. |
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civil law |
law that involves wrongful acts against persons. |
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tort |
a civil wrong committed against a person or property, excluding breech of contract. |
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tortfeasor |
the person guilty of committing a tort. |
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assault |
the open threat of bodily harm to someone. |
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battery |
any bodily contact without permission. |
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deformation of character |
damaging a persons' reputation by making public statements that are both false and malicious. |
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negligence |
an unintentional tort alleged when one may have performed or failed to perform an act that a reasonably person would or would not have done in similar circumstances. |
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malfeance |
the performance of a totally wrongful and unlawful act. |
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misfeance |
the performance of a lawful act in an illegal or improper manner. |
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nonfeasance |
the failure to act when one should. |
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safe haven law |
state laws that allow mothers to abandon newborns to designated safe facilities without penalty. |
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res ipsa loquitur |
"the thing speaks for itself". Also known as the doctrine of common knowledge. Under this docterine, no expert witnesses need to be called. |
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subpoena |
a legal document requiring the recipient to appear as a witness in court or to give a deposition. |
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subpoena duces tecum |
a legal document requireing the recipient to bring certain written records to court to be used as evidence in a lawsuit. |
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standard of care |
a level of performance expected of a health care worker in carrying out his/her professional duty. |
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duty of care |
the obligation of health care professionals to patients and in some cases, nonpatients. |
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ADR (alternative dispute resolution) |
methods of settling civil disputes between parties using meutral mediators or arbitrators without going to court. |
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res judicata |
"the thing has been decided". a claim cannot be retried between the same parties if it has already been legally resolved. |
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employment at will |
a concept of employment whereby either the employer or the employee can end the employment at any time, or any reason. |
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CLIA (clinical laboratory improvement acts) |
federal statutes passed in 1988 that established minimum quality standards for all laboratory testing. |
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genetics |
the science that accounts for natural differences and resemblances among organisms related by decent. |
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heridity |
the process by which organisms pass genetic traits on to their offspring. |
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stem cells |
early embryonic cells that have the potential to become any type of body cell. |
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invitro fertilization |
fertilizsation that takes place outside a womans' body, literally, "in glass", as in a test tube. |
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brain death |
final cessation of bodily activity, used to determine when death actually occurs; circulatory and respirtory functions have irreversibly cessed, and the entire brain (including the brain stem) has irreversably ceases to function,. |
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