This blog post is a writing assignment for MAST 1010: Legal & Ethical Concerns in the Medical Office, part of the Health Care Management (HC23) Associate of Applied Science Degree program at Southern Crescent Technical College.
- What is your role as a Medical Assistant in informed consent? Give an example and explain your scenario.
- Informed consent includes both express and implied consent. A medical assistant must provide all the necessary information to the patient that he needs to make an informed decision about a treatment or procedure. A doctor is responsible for communicating the diagnosis and explaining complex procedures and the alternatives, risks, and possible outcomes. He cannot delegate this responsibility to the medical assistant, but the medical assistant can further translate in general and less technical terms, so the patient fully understands.
- An example would be talking to a patient during an office visit. The doctor explains the diagnosis and then tells the patient he will put him on an antibiotic and a steroid but also give him a steroid injection to provide a boost since the patient is so sick. The doctor leaves, and the medical assistant returns with the injection. The patient is confused and did not catch what medication he would be getting as a shot and why he needed it. He asked the medical assistant about it, and the medical assistant repeated what the doctor said and ensured the patient understood before he nodded. Then she gave him the injection.
- What is your role as a Medical Assistant in expressed consent? Give an example and explain your scenario.
- Express consent is informed consent given verbally or written by signing a form. A medical assistant must provide all the necessary information to the patient that he needs to make an informed decision about a treatment or procedure. A doctor is responsible for communicating the diagnosis and explaining complex procedures and the alternatives, risks, and possible outcomes. He cannot delegate this responsibility to the medical assistant, but the medical assistant can further translate in general and less technical terms, so the patient fully understands. With express consent, the doctor will usually provide the patient with a form to sign after an explanation and answering questions regarding the procedure. This signed form will be express consent in a written format. The medical assistant may act as a witness to this consent or ask the doctor to return if she does not think the patient adequately understands (Harris, 2020, p. 12).
- An example would be getting consent for surgery. The medical assistant may be present while the surgeon explains the surgery, alternatives, risks, and possible outcomes to the patient. She also witnesses the patient sign the form giving express consent. She remains in the room after the surgeon leaves, and the patient continues to ask questions. She repeats what the surgeon said in a more easily understood manner. However, she retrieves the surgeon to continue answering the patient’s additional questions.
- How will you as a Medical Assistant respond to issues of confidentiality? Give an example and explain your scenario.
- Breaches include more than technical issues and hackers. It is important to have and keep safeguards and follow all procedures to maintain patient privacy. Sometimes breaches still happen, and a medical assistant should report it to the appropriate manager if she sees one. It could be that a coworker is reading records of patients for which she is not caring. A medical assistant noticing such an occurrence should report the incident.
- As a Medical Assistant in the Physician’s office how will you display sensitivity in treating patients rights and feelings with respect, consideration and dignity? Give an example and explain your scenario.
- A medical assistant should always be respectful to all patients. She should demonstrate empathy. If a patient is older or has a disability, she should be patient and repeat information as often as necessary or write it down for them. She should react professionally and appropriately and not show impatience or frustration.
- An example would be caring for an elderly patient who is hard of hearing. The patient cannot hear everything the medical assistant says and misses some of what the doctor says. The medical assistant needs to speak loudly and clearly, repeating the information. She also should write down all the information, including the diagnoses and directions to follow. The patient has the right to be informed and to understand.
- Privacy protocols are specifically listed in HIPAA, what are some ways that you can protect patient information? Give an example and explain your scenario.
- A medical assistant can protect patient information by not releasing patient information to individuals for whom the patient does not give consent. When using a computer, the medical assistant must take care before leaving her desk or the computer unattended. She should close the medical record and log out of the EHR. She could also lock her computer with a password as well. She should also shred documents as necessary after adding them to the EHR, so no one has access. The medical assistant should retrieve each sticker timely from the sign-in sheet, so patient information is not left for others in the waiting room to read. For example, a patient enters a doctor’s office and approaches the reception counter. She signs in by signing her name and writing her appointment and arrival times, her date of birth, the provider she will be seeing, and that she has had no address or insurance changes since her last visit. Then she turns to sit in the waiting area. The medical assistant immediately grabs the clipboard, removes the sticker with the patient’s information, and places it in a book behind the counter before another patient approaches.
- Applying HIPAA rules how can you safeguard privacy in the release of patient information? Give an example and explain your scenario.
- A medical assistant must check HIPAA release forms for the patient’s authorization to release information. She cannot give anyone, even family, the patient’s medical information if the patient does not authorize it.
- An example would be a family member calling for information. A mother called regarding her adult daughter’s diagnosis and treatment, but her daughter did not authorize anyone to be given any information. The medical assistant cannot discuss or provide information regarding the patient’s treatment with the mother.
References
Allen, C. (n.d.). What Is the Patient Bill of Rights? [PowerPoint slides]. Blackboard@SCTC. https://sctech.blackboard.com/
Harris, M. (2020, July). Get the Green Light: Informed consent puts patients in the driver’s seat. AAMA. https://www.aama-ntl.org/docs/default-source/other/CMAToday-JA-2020-CE-informed-consent.pdf.
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