Good Medical Practice Professionalism, Ethics and Law

Good Medical Practice: Professionalism, Ethics and Law encompasses the professional, ethical and legal requirements of being a doctor.

Good Medical Practice: Professionalism, Ethics and Law brings together information that is central to the professional, ethical and legal requirements of being a doctor. It covers a core curriculum for medical students, doctors in training and international medical graduates preparing for the Australian Medical Council examinations. A useful guide for busy doctors, giving sound advice for issues that arise in practice, ensuring that all approaches meet professional standards. Effective and compassionate practice depends equally upon good communication skills, an empathetic attitude, truthfulness, self-reflection and an awareness of the responsibilities arising under relevant laws. Good Medical Practice encapsulates these attributes and includes practice management, inter-professional relationships, sexual misconduct, complaints processes, the Australian health care system and doctors' health within its broad and comprehensive purview. Written by specialist practitioners with vast teaching experience, this is a unique, timely and accessible text that reinforces a contemporary focus on professionalism in medical practice.

1. Ethical principles for the medical profession; 2. Ethical and legal responsibilities of medical students; 3. Communication skills; 4. Consent and informed decision making; 5. Confidentiality, privacy and disclosure; 6. Medical records, reports and certificates; 7. Negligence, professional liability and adverse events; 8. The regulation of the medical profession; 9. Health care complaints systems; 10. The doctor and sexual boundaries; 11. Personal health of the doctor: illness and impairment; 12. Maintenance of professional competence; 13. Ethics and the allocation of health care resources; 14. The Australian health care system; 15. The doctor and interprofessional relationships; 16. Entering and leaving practice and practice management; 17. Clinical research; 18. Prescribing and administering drugs; 19. Diagnosing and certifying death and the role of the coroner; 20. Births, reproductive technology, family law and child protection; 21. Termination of pregnancy and related issues; 22. Withholding or withdrawing treatment in the seriously or terminally ill; 23. The law and the mentally ill; 24. The law and courts of law in Australia; 25. Medico-legal examinations and reports, court procedures and expert evidence; 26. Other legislation relevant to medical practice.

Good Medical Practice: Professionalism, Ethics and Law brings together information that is central to the professional, ethical and legal requirements of being a doctor. It covers a core curriculum for medical students, doctors in training and international medical graduates preparing for the Australian Medical Council examinations.

Dr Kerry J. Breen AM, MMBS, MD (Melb.), FRACP is a consultant physician and gastroenterologist. He is currently a part time member of the Federal Administrative Appeals Tribunal and Commissioner of Complaints of the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Professor Stephen M. Cordner AM, MA (Lond.), MBBS, B Med Sc, Dip Crim, DMJ, FRCPath, FRCPAis Professor of Forensic Medicine at Monash University. He is Professor of Forensic Medicine at Monash University and Director of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM).
Colin J. H. Thomson LLB, BA, Master of Laws is Professor of Law in the Faculty of Law at the University of Wollongong. He is currently Chairman of the Australian Health Ethics Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Vernon D. Plueckhahn AM, OBE, MD (Adel.), Hon MD (Monash), FRACP, FRCPath, FRCPA, FAMA, FCAP, FAACB, MIAC is Consultant Forensic Pathologist and Honorary Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine at Monash University.