Legal Aspects of Radiography & Radiology
Radiography and radiology are two key tools for diagnosing and treating disease, but carry with them a host of legal issues which the practicing radiologist or radiographic technician needs to be aware of and keep up to date with to avoid a lawsuit for malpractice or accusations of unprofessional conduct.
Other People Are Reading
-
Safety
-
Due to the dangers of radiation used in diagnosing disease, radiologists and technicians must follow all safety protocols carefully and report any breaches at once. In addition, medications and radioactive isotopes need to be administered to the patient correctly. Failure or error to properly administer radiologic protocols may result in litigation for damages.
Special Populations
-
Radiology practitioners must follow special protocols in reference to pregnant patients, pediatric patients, those with diminished mental abilities and those who are terminally ill.
-
Professional Abilities
-
The main responsibility of the radiographer is to capture accurate images and of the radiologist to interpret those images correctly. Failure to perform these duties correctly and failure to diagnose can be the basis of a malpractice suit.
Patient Rights
-
Patients rights, informed consent to the procedure, confidentiality of records, data protection, and patients' access to their own medical records are all key legal issues for radiology workers.
Record-Keeping
-
Radiology workers must be aware how to file reports correctly and the importance of documentation for medical records and as legal documents. They need to be trained in dealing with accidents, unexpected incidences, equipment issues and patient complaints.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit x-ray image by Claudio Calcagno from Fotolia.com
