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Palliative Care
The total care of patients with progressive, incurable illness. In palliative care, the focus of care is on quality of life. Control of pain and other physical symptoms, and psychological, social and spiritual problems is considered most important.
Res ipsa loquitur
The use of res ipsa loquitur should be prohibited in medical malpractice cases because under this doctrine the mere fact that the injury occurs means that the defendant was negligent, although it is not all the time.
Discovery
The pre-trial process, such as a deposition, by which one party discovers the evidence that will be relied upon at trial by the opposing party.
Arbitration
A process for deciding a legal dispute out of court; a substitute for an ordinary trial.
Subrogation
A process by which a third party is put in the place of a creditor so that the rights and securities of the creditor pass to that third person.
Confidentiality
The principle that prohibits physicians from disclosing confidential comments made to them by patients unless required to do so by law. The law may require physicians to violate patient confidentiality if the patient poses a serious threat to his or her own health and the well-being or that of others.
Informed Consent
Is the process by which fully informed patients can participate in choices about Their healthcare. It originates from the legal and ethical right the patient has to direct what happens to her body and from the ethical duty of the physician to involve the patient in her health care.
Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
A cleft is a separation in a body structure. Clefts that occur in the oral-facial region often involve the lip, the roof of the mouth (hard palate) or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth (soft palate).
Fibromyalgia
A pain disorder in which a person feels widespread pain and stiffness in the muscles, fatigue, and other symptoms.
Comparative negligence
The doctrine of comparing degrees of fault among the responsible parties.
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