Written for health professionals of all kinds—not lawyers— Medical Law and Ethics covers the full spectrum of topics that affect practice. Fully updated coverage includes: the legal system, professional liability and medical malpractice, physician’s responsibilities, medical records, ethical and bioethical issues, and current regulations. Actual legal cases illuminate subjects ranging from patient confidentiality and abortion to death and dying. Med Tips provide quick scenarios and guidance about law and ethics. Each chapter contains glossary terms, exercises, and an actual case; appendices provide current sample codes of ethics.

Introduction to medical law, ethics, and bioethics -- The legal system -- Essentials of the legal system for healthcare professionals -- Working in today's healthcare environment -- The physician-patient relationship -- Professional liability and medical malpractice -- Public duties of the healthcare professional -- Workplace law and ethics -- The medical record -- Patient confidentiality and HIPAA -- Ethical and bioethical issues in medicine -- Ethical issues relating to life -- Death and dying -- Future trends in healthcare.