Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare Administration

Catalog description

In the U.S., the healthcare industry is recognized as one of the most heavily regulated sectors of the economy and is becoming more operationally complex. These characteristics make it essential that healthcare administrators have a sound working knowledge of the law and create a culture that makes corporate compliance and risk mitigation a priority. This course will provide students with the practical knowledge needed to identify legal and ethical issues inherent in health care administration and to understand the legal and moral ramifications of administrative and management decisions. Specifically, this course will cover the following topics: sources of law; tort, contract, criminal, and employment law; antitrust laws; corporate structure and legal issues; legal issues associated with the medical, nursing, and other allied health professionals; information management; patient consent; patient and employee rights and responsibilities; legal reporting requirements; professional and product liability; labor relations; patient safety; tort reform; and ethical issues associated with decision-making, end-of-life choices, and procreation.