EMS Care  EMR Chapter E03 | Medical/Legal and Ethics gives an introduction to the why and what of this subject. The course discusses why it is imperative to be completely aware of the Legal and ethical aspects of the situation. It also delves into the EMR- patient relationship and various situations which might demand legally different behaviour.

The lessons covered are

• Legal aspects
• Legal accountability
• EMR-Patient Relationship
• Advance Directives, and
• Medical Ethics

To get credit for this course, you must watch all the lessons in their entirety, the course review, and pass the quiz at the end with a score of 75% or better.

An Excerpt from the course on Medical/Legal and Ethics

Improper Release of Information:

Improper release of confidential or inaccurate information can result in liability in two areas: (a) Invasion of privacy and (b) Defamation.

Invasion of privacy is releasing, without legal justification, details about a patient’s private life that might expose the person to ridicule, notoriety, or embarrassment.

A Defamation suit can be charged with: (a) Defamation (b) Libel or (c) Slander.  Defamation is a statement made about a person’s character or behavior that is either untrue or made without legal privilege or the person’s consent. Libel refers to false information about a person, made in writing or through the mass media, with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the falsity of the statements. Slander is false verbal statements about a person made with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the falsity of the statements.