Which statement correctly defines malpractice?

Which statement correctly defines malpractice?

• A. Professional negligence by a healthcare provider
• B. A legal term for patient satisfaction
• C. A contract breach with the patient
• D. A refusal to treat a patient

Answer: (A)

Malpractice is professional negligence by a healthcare provider that harms a patient. It involves four elements: the provider had a duty to the patient, the standard of care was not met, the failure caused an injury, and there are damages from that injury. The standard of care means what a reasonably prudent provider would do in similar circumstances. A poor outcome or a simple error isn’t automatically malpractice unless it reflects a breach of that standard and leads to harm. Refusing to treat someone isn’t, by itself, malpractice unless it also involves a breach of the expected standard of care that causes injury. So the statement that best defines malpractice is that it is professional negligence by a healthcare provider.

Malpractice is professional negligence by a healthcare provider that harms a patient. It involves four elements: the provider had a duty to the patient, the standard of care was not met, the failure caused an injury, and there are damages from that injury. The standard of care means what a reasonably prudent provider would do in similar circumstances. A poor outcome or a simple error isn’t automatically malpractice unless it reflects a breach of that standard and leads to harm. Refusing to treat someone isn’t, by itself, malpractice unless it also involves a breach of the expected standard of care that causes injury. So the statement that best defines malpractice is that it is professional negligence by a healthcare provider.