must be composed in a 2-page Word document, 12 pt font, double-spaced, and applying APA guidelines.  You must use a minimum of 3 resources and show them on the last, separate, page of your submission listing that page as  “References”.  One of the resources/references can be your textbook for this course, then you can have another printed reference source if you prefer and an Internet source, or two Internet resources. Remember you must have a cover page and you must have a separate References page, and you must list your references in the correct APA format and you must supply the URL/Links to each reference, so that when the reader gets to a line you quoted in your paper from one of your resources, they can click that link on your e-reference page and it will take them online to your resource(s).

Your document must address each of the following criteria as outlined in the course textbook:

Professional Liability: Discuss the aspects of criminal and civil liability as they apply to the case study.

Standard of Care: Discuss acceptable standards of care as they relate to ordinary and reasonable skills commonly used by medical practitioners.

Medical Negligence: Review the Four Ds of medical negligence, and discuss their application to the case study.

Intentional and Unintentional Tort: Explain how tort law and its identification of negligence and medical malpractice apply to the case study.

Alternative Methods to Litigation: Describe how alternative litigation methods such as arbitration and mediation may apply to the case study.

Medical Office Administration Program Outcome addressed:

1.2  Learners will demonstrate how to apply legal and ethical concepts to health care procedures.

Case Study: Medical Malpractice and Liability

A surgeon performs elective surgery on John Smith.  Smith later complains to his surgeon about pain resulting from the surgery.  His surgeon dismisses his complaints as not credible and eventually withdraws from the case.  Smith is then treated by another surgeon, who determines that Smith developed complications from surgery and that the delay in treatment has made the complications worse.  Smith sees an attorney about a possible lawsuit against the first surgeon.