title: Medical malpractice: a review of issues for providers.
abstract: The worlds of law and medicine meet in some very interesting and very important ways. Together, lawyers and physicians tackle such subjects as cloning, right to die, surrogate parenthood, and embryo preservation and implantation, to name a few. The most personal and painful nexus for physicians comes when a physician is sued and must then deal with the legal system as a defendant. The world of plaintiffs, experts, legal doctrines, state and federal law, and judicial application of law to the facts of the case can be intimidating. It is hoped that this overview has allowed the hematology-oncology practitioner to become more familiar with the theories and procedures involved in medical negligence actions. The physician, when comfortable with the basics, may better tolerate the apparent idiosyncrasies of the system and even may be able to protect him or herself from becoming involved in a lawsuit ab initio.
authors.affiliation: School of Law, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, 120 North Illinois Street, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. ducks142@globaleyes.com
authors.forename: Marsha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005607:Fraud / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007351:Insurance, Liability / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008499:Medical Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013315:Stress, Psychological