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Contract Law. What is a Contract?. A voluntary agreement between two or more parties. 3 Parts of the Contract. “Can I get an appointment with this doctor?”. 1. Offer – competent individual enters into a relationship with health care providers and offers to be a patient.
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What is a Contract? • A voluntary agreement between two or more parties
3 Parts of the Contract “Can I get an appointment with this doctor?” • 1. Offer – competent individual enters into a relationship with health care providers and offers to be a patient
3 Parts of the Contract • 2. Acceptance – health care provider gives an appointment or examines or treats a patient
3 Parts of the Contract • Consideration – payment made by the patient for services provided
2 Types of Contracts • 1. Implied – gives rise to contractual obligations by some action or inaction without verbally expressed terms
2 Types of Contracts • 2. Expressed – actual agreement between the parties, the terms are stated in distinct and explicit language, either orally or in writing
VERY IMPORTANT FACT! • All parties in a contract must be free of Legal Disabilities. A person with legal disabilities DOES NOT have the legal capacity to form a contract!
Types of Legal Disabilities • 1. Minors – anyone under age 18 or the age of the majority, is called an “infant” under the law.
Types of Legal Disabilities • 2. Mentally incompetent persons
Types of Legal Disabilities • 3. Individuals under the influence of drugs that alter the mental state (Included prescription drugs and alcohol)
Types of Legal Disabilities • 4. Semi-conscious or unconscious people
Law of the Agency • Agency - is a personal relationship created by the mutual consent of: • The Agent (employee) and • The Principal (employer)
Law of the Agency • The employee acts on behalf of the principal while supervised by the principal. • The principal is responsible for the actions of the agent and can be required to compensate or pay people who have been injured by the agent.
Law of the Agency • Health care workers must be aware of the role as agents and work to protect the interests of the employer • Agency may be expressed or implied, but is usually implied in health care.
Privileged Communication • All information given to health personal by a patient is privileged communicaiton • Info cannot be told to anyone without written consent of the patient. • By law – must be kept confidential
Written Consent • Should state: • 1. What information can be released • 2. Who can get the information • 3. Any time limits related to the release of information
Medical Information Exempt by Law • The following information is “exempt” for privileged communication. • This means you must report it by law or you will be fined or sent to jail
Exempt Information • 1. Births and Deaths • 2.Injuries caused byviolence (abuse, etc.) • 3. Drug Abuse • 4. Communicable Diseases • 5. Sexually transmitted diseases