Ethical and Legal Issues

Abstract

The sections of this chapter discuss both evaluation and management of legal and ethical aspects of the physician assistant (PA) profession, taking into consideration that the PA practice flows out of an interconnected relationship between the PA, the physician, and the patient. PAs are called to fulfill not only the law when practicing but also rise to uphold ethical principles. There are a variety of situations a provider can encounter throughout a career. Some topics are present in every patient encounter, such as confidentiality and informed consent. Some topics may only be present in certain cases, such as advanced directives and futile treatment. Nevertheless, the provider should be knowledgeable about each of these legal and ethical situations and understand the evaluation and management of them.