Medical law is the branch of law which concerns the prerogatives and responsibilities of medical professionals and the rights of the patient.[1] It should not be confused with medical jurisprudence, which is a branch of medicine, rather than a branch of law.

Branches

edit

Branches of medical law include:

Administrative law

edit

Health professional's fitness to practise is regulated by medical licensing. If concerns are raised regarding a health professional the licensing body may choose to suspend or reject their license.[5]

Education to work in medical law

edit

A career in Medical Law usually requires a bachelor's degree in bioethics, government, healthcare management or policy, public or global health, or history. Prospective medical lawyers must take the LSAT to apply and gain admission to Law School to obtain their Juris Doctor Degree. Finally, to further their education or obtain a higher position, Medical Lawyers may earn a Masters of Law Degree and/or a PhD in Healthcare Law or Global Law.

Career descriptions in the field of medical law

edit
  • Reviewing medical documents, files, and receipts in connection with a medical lawsuit.
  • Medical lawyers advise legal clients on their rights during trial.
  • May keep evidence intact and preserved for trial (such as defective medicines or medical equipment).
  • May interpret medical laws, standards, and guidelines in the area (they can often vary by region and by medical practice).
  • Medical lawyers typically assist victims in obtaining a damages award to compensate them for their losses and injuries.
  • Medical lawyers often represent clients in the healthcare industry in connection with general corporate matters, including corporate reorganization, capital financing, employee benefits, tax, and antitrust issues and general contract negotiation. They often provide advice regarding physician recruitment, acquisition of physician practices, and medical staff relations matters. Medical lawyers also provide guidance concerning Medicare and Medicaid fraud, abuse and payment issues, and telemedicine and health reform issues.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Topic: Medical Law". City University Law School - Lawbore. Archived from the original on 2008-04-23. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  2. ^ Zeiler, Kathryn (2010-01-01). "Medical Malpractice Liability Crisis or Patient Compensation Crisis?". DePaul Law Review. 59 (2): 675.
  3. ^ "Medical blunders cost NHS billions". The Telegraph. 11 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  4. ^ Pattinson, Shaun, D. (8 September 2017). Medical law & ethics (5th ed.). London. ISBN 9780414060272. OCLC 991642701.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Samuels, Alec (2006). "Serious Professional Misconduct: Fitness to Practice". Medico-Legal Journal. 74 (Pt 1): 25–26. doi:10.1258/rsmmlj.74.1.25. PMID 16602505. S2CID 412337.

Notable cases

edit

Further reading

edit
edit

[1] Institute of Medicine & Law www.imlindia.com

[2] National Convention on Medicine & Law