Certificate in Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare

Healthcare professionals face ethical dilemmas every day of their professional lives. Ethical decision-making is an important part of the care they provide to their patients and clients. A sound understanding of key ethical issues helps healthcare providers make appropriate ethical decisions during the course of their care.

With the advent of astounding scientific and technological advances in every area of health care, today's healthcare environment is increasingly fraught with complex patient care issues. Healthcare professionals often have varying views on legal and ethical dilemmas that make it difficult to act in ways consistent with their own support for patient autonomy. The variation in individual state approaches to laws and professional standards, as well as specific codes of ethics, makes ethical dilemmas challenging for many healthcare providers and patients and family members.

Personal health information is protected under federal law. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides for the protection and security of personal health information. Both healthcare professionals and consumers must understand the legal and ethical implications of this law and the effects of violations on the patient and the provider.

Medications promote healing, reduce suffering, and contribute to modern medical miracles. However, because thousands of new drugs have been developed recently, because the healthcare environment is increasingly complex, and because patients are older and often sicker, there is increasing risk for medication errors.

Social media has many characteristics and has become part of the very fabric of today's society. It can be immediate, irreverent, and incredibly powerful. The use of social media in all areas of life, especially health care, is growing exponentially. Used to effectively communicate and connect with other healthcare professionals, the community, and patients, social media also has tremendous risks when not used professionally. Guidelines to ensure its safe and proper use are essential.

The gift of organ donation is the gift of life. However, the gap between those who need an organ or tissue donation and the number of donations available is wide and growing. Healthcare providers need to understand the issues surrounding organ and tissue donation and recovery so they can effectively support the needs of donor families and donor recipients.

Workplace violence is an increasing problem in organizations today and is especially challenging in the healthcare industry. Considered a human rights issue, workplace violence affects the dignity of millions of people worldwide and is a major source of inequality, discrimination, stigmatization, and workplace conflict. The consequences to organizations and employees are staggering and include negative financial, safety, and health-related outcomes.