By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    November 15, 2022
    back pain issues
    Ways to Treat Constant Back Pain
    August 21, 2023
    Latest News
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    More On Wellness Programs To Improve Health and Reduce Costs
    January 25, 2012
    Privatizing Social Security and Medicare: Who Can Defuse Political Dynamite?
    June 12, 2011
    Study: Risk of Death in Elderly Patients with Dementia Doubled with Some Antipsychotic Medications
    February 26, 2012
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Healthcare and You: 3 Legal Situations to Be Aware Of
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Healthcare and You: 3 Legal Situations to Be Aware Of
Policy & Law

Healthcare and You: 3 Legal Situations to Be Aware Of

Rachelle Wilber
Rachelle Wilber
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

In today’s world, healthcare has become very complex. Not only does it involve questions about insurance coverage, but also questions involving patient privacy rights, prescription rules, and medical marijuana options and end-of-life practices. While these and many others are ones you may face at some point in the future, there are some legal situations involving healthcare you may want to be aware of in order to make an informed decision. In today’s world, healthcare has become very complex. Not only does it involve questions about insurance coverage, but also questions involving patient privacy rights, prescription rules, and medical marijuana options and end-of-life practices. While these and many others are ones you may face at some point in the future, there are some legal situations involving healthcare you may want to be aware of in order to make an informed decision.

Contents
Personal Medical InformationDeath With DignityInformed Consent

Personal Medical Information

One of the most private areas of healthcare involves a patient’s medical records. Rules regarding medical ethics, along with state laws and federal HIPAA laws, require doctors and other medical personnel to keep a patient’s medical records confidential, unless the patient has provided authorization to release the information. However, that is not always the case under certain circumstances. For example, if you have suffered a traumatic injury and cannot make decisions for yourself, the doctor is allowed to discuss your medical information with a next of kin. This is done in order to allow full disclosure and let the relative make the best possible decision, based on the facts and circumstances.

Death With Dignity

While physician-assisted suicide is not a constitutional right, some states have authorized it under specific circumstances. Always a controversial topic, it focuses on a person’s right to due process of law. According to the U.S. Supreme Court, the due process clause protects a person’s right to refuse medical treatment, even if it leads to the patient’s death. For those who have an interest in law and want additional information on any sort of healthcare topic, they often turn to online health law programs to help them learn more. Learning the details of specific healthcare situations is always to your advantage.

Informed Consent

Needless to say, before a patient begins any course of treatment for a condition or disease, they want to know exactly what are the pros and cons associated with it, along with any alternatives that may be available. Known as informed consent, it is vital to establishing trust between a doctor and patient. Because the doctor has a duty to provide as much information as possible to the patient, it also places some responsibility on the patient to ask questions and make it clear they understand everything prior to signing any consent forms. By having a greater awareness of these issues, patients will be able to not only make better healthcare decisions, but also receive better treatment from their healthcare providers.

More Read

Are Electronic Medical Records Really Causing a Crisis?
Community Health Centers and Healthcare Systems Partnering for Healthcare of the Future
The Time Bomb No One Is Talking About
Medical Loss Ratio Explained: podcast transcript
What is the Value of Hope in Cancer Care?
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025
a woman giving a key
How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
Health
July 16, 2025
a woman with kinesio tapes on her back arm
How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

Cartoon Version of Obamacare is Pretty Useful [video]

July 22, 2013
Health careSpecialties

Keeping an STD from Destroying Your Quality of Life

April 9, 2019

Texas Lawmakers Revisit Medicaid/Medicare Secession Scenario with Bill’s Intro

June 28, 2011

The Long and the Short of It: You Shrink as You Get Older

October 12, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?