Dynamisms in technology in the health sector has created an awareness to people seeking medical services which in term help them to outsource the best medical services in terms of high quality and low costs. Meanwhile as the health care provides these services to patient they must abide to laws that regulate provision of services to patients. These laws help the medical practitioners to avoid legal suits that can lead to litigations. They also ensure that the patient receive quality services when visiting the medical facilities. Due to the sensitive nature of health laws, health care facilities should seek legal advice from lawyers to help them understand the legal matters that are in health sector. This may include cases that can lead to patients suing the health facility of medical practitioners in the facility. Negligence is one of the factors that leads to suing of doctors and nurses by medical practitioners (Jonas, Steven, Raymond and Karen, 56).
In the state of Illinois, there has been provision of health act by health department that has made medical facilities more affordable by the poor people in the society. Some of the health care reforms that are being initiated are to see millions of people legible for medical coverage. This is a sing of commitment from the department of health in Illinois in enabling children and the whole family access quality and low cost medical services. For example, patient protection bill and affordable care act was implemented early this year. This has led to great improvement in quality of services provided by medical practitioners in Illinois. These laws tend to hold the medical practitioners liable in inappropriate practice in delivering services to patients. The law is clear of the right of each citizen to access medical facility in any health care without discrimination. It also dictates the duties of medical practitioners, which are to examine the patient condition, give health advice and prescribe drug and follow-up on patient condition. This has led the medical practitioners to be more careful and diligent in their work. They have also reduced negligence in the practice (Harrington, Crawford & Estes, 24). To reduce the medical costs the state has subsidized the pharmaceutical cost that has reduced the cost of prescribed drugs. The law also allows every patient to have medical coverage including those with preexisting conditions. This ensures that individuals are covered in Medicaid programs. Legal environment has positively affected healthcare organization by holding them accountable to their patient. Patients have a chance to air their grievances in an ethical through court sanctions. Although some may not support some act established by the state in matters of health patients are the main beneficiaries to the legal framework in health sector.
Responsibility of healthcare providers and HMO to patients
The increased in awareness among the patients has presented various options in seeking admission to lower cost facility offering quality Medicare. The main responsibility of health facility is to provide quality health care services to patients. The facility must also be made accessible without discrimination. Patients have the option to select the health facility with good reputation and efficient medical practitioners. They refer each other to hospital that they had visited, which follow policies recommended by acts regulating the health facilities. HMO has the responsibility towards the patients of providing personalized and specialized Medicare. They must also make the services available to patients when they need them. The act also dictates that the rates subscribed by patients must remain fixed. Any adjustment to the rate must be communicated to the patient prior to the actual initiation of adjustment. HMO and medical regulators must agree on any adjustments. The benefits available in the HMO must be cheaper compared to other forms of healthcare plans. The laws in healthcare are comprehensive in detailing the responsibility that each medical practitioner has toward the patient seeking Medicare in the facilities (Hammaker, Donna and Sarah, 67). The provider of the services must offer quality and personalized services to the patients. In addition, he must perform some assessment to the condition of the patient and come up with the most effective treatment. He also makes the drug prescription to the patient and gives advice on how to maintain a health condition and minimize risk of exposure. They should also ensure that the patient information is kept safe and is not accessible by external sources. Secrecy and level of privacy should be maintained between a service provider and patient. An exception is made when the condition is contaminating and may have effects on surrounding people. The health facility should also reach up to the insurance company or organization offering the Medicare plan to facilitate the payment after the treatment of patients. The HMO is also required to provide all the equipment required for treatment of patients. Health care providers should also ensure that all patients are treated with respect and equality without discrimination. The laws and acts by state regulating the HMO should also be adhered to avoid collision between HMO and patients. The laws should be interpreted well with the help of lawyers to avoid litigations in the court.
Health laws in Illinois
In the case of HMO and John, negligence law is applicable. The physician delegated his duty to his assistance hence causing mishap. The duty of a physician is to examine the patients, make referrals and order appropriate tests to the patients. In this case, the practitioner delegated these duties to his assistant. On other hand the assistance duties was to execute the procedure recommended by the physician in the exam room. Assistant is not supposed to attend to the patients when the physician is not around. A physician is supposed to attend to the patient personally and ensure he or she checks the condition of the patients and makes referrals to the specialty where necessary. In this case, the physician should have evaluated the patient personally and check his historical conditions. He should also made a point to ask john whether there is any ingestion that could have caused the presence of blood in his stool. The hospital should have necessary equipment required for john’s condition in order for him to get proper diagnosis. If the physicians followed the required procedure john would have received right medication. The physician can be held liable for john’s damage because of his negligence of delegating critical duties to his assistance. The assistance did not even ask john of any medical history that may be the cause of the problem. In his line of duty, he is aware that he should enquire such information from patients (Brown, 52).
Works cited
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