Awareness of medical law among health care practitioners in Saudi Arabia

Shihah, Abdulelah S. Bin; Alrashed, Abdulrahman H.; Al-Abduljabbar, Khaled A.; Alamri, Hassan A.; Shafiq, Mohammed; Ahmed, Mayada N.; Alkhenizan, Abdullah

doi:10.15537/smj.2022.43.8.20210920

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

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“…The Code of Ethics for Healthcare Practitioners emphasizes the significance of medical witnesses in helping the judiciary understand patients' conditions and treatments, promoting honesty and objectivity in delivering medical facts [ 11 ]. A national study involving 750 healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia revealed that 97% had poor awareness of medical law, and nearly half had not read The Code of Ethics for Healthcare Practitioners [ 12 ]. To our knowledge, no study has been conducted in Saudi Arabia on physicians acting as expert witnesses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prescribing Justice: A Close Examination of Physicians Acting As Expert Witnesses in Saudi Arabia

Albishri,

AlMansour

et al. 2024

Cureus

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Introduction: An expert witness is a person who provides testimony on issues that the court finds to be outside the scope of their expertise and experience. Any physician who has performed an independent medical evaluation or written medical records can and should expect to be requested as an expert witness. Medical malpractice, workers' compensation, and personal injury are the most prominent areas where medical expert witnesses participate and provide opinions and testimony. To our knowledge, this is the first study to be conducted in Saudi Arabia on physicians acting as expert witnesses. Methods: This observational descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia from November 2022 to July 2023 aimed to assess physicians' experiences, education, training, willingness, self-competency, attitude, and perception as expert witnesses. The study population consisted of physicians working in Saudi Arabia, with at least a specialist level of professional expertise. Participants completed a self-administered online survey, utilizing a researcher-designed questionnaire. Results: In total, 417 participants, with males comprising 51.3% of the sample, responded to the survey. More than half of the physicians (58.3%) had never produced a medical report for the court. Among those who had, the majority had done so one to twice. Similarly, the majority had never testified in court (77.5%), with only a small percentage having done so once or twice. Approximately 80% of participants had no prior education or training as expert witnesses, but among those who did, courses and workshops were the most common forms of education or training. Most participants expressed interest in learning or training for this role (69.1%) and were willing to provide medical reports or court testimony (73.9%). However, half of the participants did not feel competent in writing a medical report for the court, and more than half lacked confidence in giving testimony. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for increased engagement, education, and training among physicians, particularly early and mid-career professionals, to enhance their confidence and competence as expert witnesses and ensure ethical practices in the medicolegal domain in Saudi Arabia.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prescribing Justice: A Close Examination of Physicians Acting As Expert Witnesses in Saudi Arabia

Albishri,

AlMansour

et al. 2024

Cureus

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Legal Protection Mechanisms and Consequences for Medical Negligence in Healthcare Services

Njoto

2023

Rechtsidee

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This study critically examines the role of legal safeguards in enhancing healthcare service quality. Utilizing normative legal research methods, the study employs legislative and conceptual approaches to explore the dual nature of legal protection: preventive and repressive, in the context of healthcare professionals adhering to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The findings suggest that healthcare practitioners' negligence level and the resultant harm to patients or the public determines the legal implications. Such implications range from allegations of SOP and ethical code violations, to civil litigation for damages, and even criminal charges if medical actions endanger lives, potentially causing patient mortality. Therefore, the study highlights the necessity for legal accountability for healthcare practitioners, emphasizing that their service delivery must align with the set SOPs. These findings have profound implications for policy-making, emphasizing the need for robust legal protection for both healthcare practitioners and service recipients, thereby ensuring improved healthcare service quality.Highlights: Dual nature of legal protection in healthcare. Negligence level dictates legal consequences. Emphasis on healthcare practitioners' legal accountability. Keywords: Legal Protection, Healthcare Services, Medical Negligence, Standard Operating Procedures, Legal Consequences

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Awareness of medical law among health care practitioners in Saudi Arabia

Cited by 2 publications

References 12 publications

Prescribing Justice: A Close Examination of Physicians Acting As Expert Witnesses in Saudi Arabia

Prescribing Justice: A Close Examination of Physicians Acting As Expert Witnesses in Saudi Arabia

Legal Protection Mechanisms and Consequences for Medical Negligence in Healthcare Services

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