For This Assignment Use Your Required Textbook Learning Unit

For This Assignmentuse Your Required Textbook Learning Unit And Reso

For this assignment, use your required textbook, learning unit, and resources to answer the questions. Analyze the following topics, describing how the topic has impacted and influenced healthcare delivery while reducing risk. Cite your resources to support your opinion.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The landscape of healthcare delivery is heavily influenced by legal and ethical standards that govern patient rights, hospital responsibilities, and the management of special populations such as mentally ill patients. Understanding these legal frameworks is essential for healthcare administrators to reduce risks associated with admissions, treatments, and discharges and to ensure compliance with federal and state laws. This paper examines pivotal topics including hospital admissions authority, hospital responsibilities for indigent care, nondiscrimination mandates, involuntary mental health admissions under the Baker Act, discharge practices, and the role of utilization review in risk management. Through analysis of these areas, we explore how legal regulations shape healthcare practices and mitigate risks to both patients and providers.

The Right to Be Admitted

The authority to admit patients to hospitals primarily resides with licensed healthcare providers, particularly physicians and authorized hospital staff, rather than administrative personnel. According to Showalter (2020), physicians hold the ultimate authority in determining patient admission based on medical necessity. Hospitals often delineate specific roles, assigning admission authority to emergency department physicians or admitting physicians who have clinical oversight.

Patients generally possess a right to be admitted based on medical need; however, this right is not absolute. Hospitals may deny admission if they lack appropriate capacity or resources, or if admission criteria are not met (Showalter, 2020). Denials are typically grounded in operational limitations or legal considerations, and patients can appeal these decisions or seek care elsewhere.

Hospital Responsibilities for Indigent Patients

Hospitals have a legal and ethical obligation to provide care to indigent patients, especially under the mandates of various federal legislation. Non-profit and public hospitals are often explicitly required to serve all patients regardless of their ability to pay, stemming from their community service mission (Showalter, 2020). For-profit hospitals, however, are driven by financial objectives but still must comply with nondiscrimination laws and provide emergency services under EMTALA.

Differences arise depending on the care type: emergency care must be provided irrespective of ability to pay, whereas non-emergency services may be billed or denied based on the patient's financial status (Showalter, 2020). Public and non-profit hospitals are more directly obligated to serve the community's needs, reflective of their tax-exempt status and community benefit obligations.

Nondiscrimination in Health Services

The Hill-Burton Act of 1946 mandated that hospitals receiving federal funding provide services without discrimination, emphasizing equitable treatment for all patients and community access (Showalter, 2020). EMTALA, enacted in 1986, complements this by requiring emergency departments to provide stabilizing treatment to all individuals regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2023).

While the Hill-Burton Act focused on structural and community aspects of hospital service, EMTALA directly addresses patient rights in emergency settings, preventing hospitals from refusing care based on financial or discriminatory reasons. These laws work together to promote nondiscriminatory access and reduce disparities in healthcare delivery.

Admission and Treatment of Mentally Ill Patients

The Florida Mental Health Act, or Baker Act, provides a framework for involuntary admission of individuals who are mentally ill and pose danger to themselves or others. The process involves physician evaluation and police involvement when necessary, with involuntary holds typically lasting up to 72 hours (Florida Statutes, 2023).

Follow-up care is not inherently mandated under the Baker Act; however, the law encourages treatment plans and community referrals to ensure continuity of care post-admission. The law primarily addresses immediate safety concerns, which signifies a gap in long-term management strategies.

Compared to Georgia, which relies on the Georgia Mental Health Code, there are similarities in criteria for involuntary hospitalization but differences in procedural safeguards and community-based services. For example, Georgia emphasizes ongoing outpatient treatment options following involuntary hospitalization, while Florida tends to focus on short-term detention and stabilization (Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities, 2022).

In the context of mass shootings, the Baker Act could be invoked to temporarily detain individuals exhibiting signs of severe mental illness. Nonetheless, its preventive potential is limited by legal thresholds and resource constraints, highlighting the importance of early intervention and mental health awareness.

Discharge of a Patient and Utilization Review

Utilization review (UR) involves systematic evaluation of medical care to ensure appropriateness, necessity, and efficiency of services. Through review of patient records and treatment plans, UR reduces risk by preventing unnecessary admissions or extended stays, thereby minimizing liability (Showalter, 2020).

Key components of chart review include assessing documentation, verifying adherence to standards of care, and identifying potential errors or omissions that could lead to malpractice or adverse outcomes. Two liability issues related to discharge are premature discharge leading to readmission and delayed discharge increasing hospital stay costs. Both pose risks: premature discharges may result in patient harm and legal actions, while delays can lead to malpractice claims and resource wastage.

Chart review enhances risk mitigation by ensuring compliance with clinical guidelines, facilitating timely interventions, and verifying that discharge decisions are supported by objective data. It is distinct from utilization review, which evaluates overall appropriateness at a broader level, whereas chart review focuses on individual cases. Both methods contribute to reducing medical errors, a catalyst for the evolution of risk management in healthcare, emphasizing patient safety and legal protection (Showalter, 2020).

Conclusion

Legal and ethical considerations profoundly influence healthcare delivery, shaping policies that aim to balance patient rights, hospital responsibilities, and risk reduction. Laws like EMTALA, the Baker Act, and the Hill-Burton Act establish frameworks that promote nondiscriminatory, community-oriented, and safe healthcare practices. These regulations not only protect vulnerable populations but also serve as risk management tools by preventing liability and ensuring continuity of care. Healthcare administrators must understand these legal mandates to navigate complex situations, improve patient outcomes, and uphold the integrity of healthcare institutions.

References

• Florida Statutes. (2023). The Florida Mental Health Act (Baker Act). Retrieved from https://www.flsenate.gov/
• Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities. (2022). Georgia Mental Health Code. Retrieved from https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/
• Showalter, J. S. (2020). The Law of Healthcare Administration (8th ed.). Aspen Publishers.
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2023). EMTALA: Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/