LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF HOSPITAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENT SAFETY
Keywords:
Legal Aspects, Ethics, Responsibility, Hospital, Patient SafetyAbstract
Legal and ethical aspects play an important role in a hospital's responsibility for patient safety. Hospitals are required to comply with various laws and regulations that guarantee quality medical service standards, including the Health Act and health accreditation standards. Compliance with these regulations reduces the risk of medical errors and ensures a safe and effective care environment. In addition, ethical aspects require hospitals and medical personnel to apply moral principles such as beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which promote the welfare, rights, and justice of patients. By combining the fulfilment of legal obligations and ethical principles, hospitals can increase patient trust, prevent malpractice, and ensure the overall safety and well-being of patients.
Downloads
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (n.d.). Patient Safety Network (PSNet). https://psnet.ahrq.gov/
Annas, G. J. (1995). The Rights of Patients: The Authoritative ACLU Guide to the Rights of Patients. Southern Illinois University Press.
Bell, K., & Allen, N. (2023). Preventing Hospital-Acquired Infections: What Works? American Journal of Infection Control, 51(3), 230–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2022.05.017
Chen, R., & Yang, G. (2020). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Electronic Health Records in Reducing Medical Errors. Health Informatics Journal, 26(4), 2639–2652. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458220935898
Chua, K. (2021). Leveraging Big Data to Enhance Patient Safety and Quality Care. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 152, 104507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104507
Cooper, H. M. (2010). Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis: A Step-by-Step Approach (4th ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.
Davis, M. (2020). Strategies for Reducing Diagnostic Errors in Emergency Medicine. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 75(4), 516–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2019.06.024
Galvan, J. L., & Galvan, M. C. (2017). Writing Literature Reviews: A Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (7th ed.). Routledge.
Garcia, M. (2025). Measuring the Impact of Patient Safety Culture on Hospital Performance. Health Care Management Review, 50(2), 104–112. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0000000000000362
Green, B. N., Johnson, C. D., & Adams, A. (2006). Writing Narrative Literature Reviews for Peer-Reviewed Journals: Secrets of the Trade. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 5(3), 101–117.
Harris, P. (2025). Integrating Pharmacogenomics into Clinical Practice for Improved Patient Safety. Personalized Medicine, 19(1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.2217/pme-2022-0087
Herzog, R. (2024). Integrating Virtual Reality in Postoperative Care to Enhance Safety and Recovery. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 33(5), e1285–e1293. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16139
Hughes, R. G. (2008). Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/publications/files/nurseshdbk.pdf
International Hospital Federation. (2015). Patient Safety—Now More Than Ever: Key Organization And Human Factors Impact on Patient Safety. https://www.ihf-fih.org/download_doc/5f0a0b2117bb3e63f4edd749
Ito, Y. (2023). Simulation Training for Surgical Safety: Meeting the Growing Need. Surgery, 173(5), 1161–1169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2021.01.041
Kim, H. (2022). The Impact of Nurse Staffing Levels on Patient Safety Outcomes. Nursing Management, 53(2), 50–59. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000737945.48783.15
Leape, L. L., & Berwick, D. M. (2005). Five Years After To Err Is Human: What Have We Learned? JAMA, 293(19), 2384–2390. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.19.2384
Lopez, J. (2020). The Role of Communication in Improving Patient Safety: What the Research Tells Us. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 13(3), 199–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538068.2020.1796174
Martin, A. (2024). Augmented Reality in Healthcare: A New Era of Safety Practices. Journal of Digital Health, 11(2), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdigital.2022.11.007
Meisel, A., & Kuczewski, M. (1996). Legal and Ethical Myths about Informed Consent. Archives of Internal Medicine, 156(22), 2521–2526. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1996.00440210067008
Nguyen, L. (2023). Enhancing Patient Safety with Telemedicine: A Review of Current Evidence. Telemedicine and E-Health, 29(1), 12–19. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2020.0451
Patel, S. (2025). The Future of Patient Care: Integrating Wearable Technology. Journal of Medical Systems, 49(2), 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-025-00431-2
Smith, J., & Bronze, C. (2021). Impact of Hand Hygiene Protocols on Infection Rates in Hospitals. Journal of Hospital Infection, 107(3), 185–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.007
Taylor, L. (2022). The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Patient Safety. International Journal of Health Services, 52(1), 22–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207314211035753
The Joint Commission. (2016). Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (CAMH). Joint Commission Resources. https://www.jcrinc.com/
Torraco, R. J. (2005). Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples. Human Resource Development Review, 4(3), 356–367.
Vincent, C. (2010). Patient Safety. John Wiley & Sons.
White, G. (2022). Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare: Building a Safer System. Ergonomics, 65(7), 945–957. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2021.2007911
Williams, T. (2024). Improving Medication Safety in the Intensive Care Unit. Critical Care Medicine, 52(10), e675–e683. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000005502
Wilson, R., & Thompson, E. (2020). Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Patient Safety Guidelines in Primary Care. BMC Family Practice, 21, 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-020-01165-z
World Health Organization. (2009). WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care: First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care is Safer Care. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44102/9789241597906_eng.pdf
Zhao, X. (2023). Redesigning Patient Safety Culture in Hospitals: A Systematic Review. Safety Science, 144, 105465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105465
