Definitions
Chapter 1 (pg. 3-18) Health Care Practitioners: Those who are trained to administer medical or health care to patients. Litigious: Prone to engage in lawsuits Plaintiff: The person bringing charges in a lawsuit. Defendant: The person or party against who criminal or civil charges are brought in a lawsuit. Liable: Legally responsible or obligated Precedent: Decisions made by judges in the various courts that become rule of law and apply to future cases, even though they were not enacted by a legislature; also know as Summary Judgment: A decision made by a court in a lawsuit in response to a motion that pleads there is no basis for a trial. Fraud: Dishonest or deceitful practices in depriving, or attempting to deprive, another of his or her rights. Law: Rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority. Ethics: Standards of behavior, developed as a result of one's concept of right and wrong. Moral Values: One's personal concept of right and wrong, formed through the influence of the family, culture, and society. Code of Ethics: a list of principles intended to govern behavior. Ethics Guidelines: Publications that detail a wide variety of ethical situations that professionals might face in their work and offer principles for dealing with the situations in an ethical manner. Hippocratic Oath: A pledge for physicians, developed by the Greek physician Hippocrates circa 400 B.C. American Medical Association Principles: A code of ethics for members of the American Medical Association, written in 1847. Bioethics: A discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological research methods and results, especially in medicine. Medical Ethicist or Bioethicist: Specialist who consult with physicians, researchers, and others to help them make difficult ethical decisions regarding patient care. Ethics Committee: Committee made up of individuals who are involved in the patient's care, including health care practitioners, family members, clergy, and others, with the purpose of reviewing ethical issues in difficult cases. Etiquette: Standards of behavior considered to be good manners among members of a profession as they function as individuals in society. Protocol: A code prescribing correct behavior in a specific situation, such as a situation arising in a medical office. Courtesy: The practice of good manners. Compassion: The identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives. Common Sense: Sound practical judgment. Critical Thinking: The ability to think analytically, using fewer emotions and more rationality.
Chapter 3 (pg.55-78) Licensure: A mandatory credentialing process established by law,usually at the state level, that grants the right to practice certain skills and endeavors. Certification: A voluntary credentialing process whereby applicants who meet specific requirements may receive a certificate. Registration: A credentialing procedure whereby one's name is listed on a register as having paid a fee and/or met certain criteria within a profession. Accreditation: Official authorization or approval for conforming to a specified standard. Reciprocity: The process by which a professional license obtained in one state may be accepted as valid in other states by prior agreement without reexamination. Allopathic: Means “different suffering” and refers to the medical philosophy that dictates training physicians to intervene in the disease process, through the use of drugs and surgery. Tertiary Care Setting: Those care settings providing highly specialized services. Endorsement: The process by which a license may be awarded based on individual credentials judged to meet licensing requirements in a new state. Medical Practice Acts: State laws written for the express purpose or governing the practice