Legal, Ethical and Legislative Issues

Legal, Ethical and Legislative Issues

Our goal is to provide you with pertinent medical-legal information in addition
to broadening your understanding of the sometimes complex legislative
issues facing the local, state and national health care system.

Legislative

Legal

Ethical

Legislative Issues:

2008 Florida Legislative Session

Representing you and your patients before the Florida Legislature is the primary goal of the FMA Division of Governmental Affairs. The FMA develops and implements a legislative agenda, obtains bill sponsors, tracks over 6,000 bills, contacts Key Contact Physicians, develops effective grassroots activities and lobbies our bills for passage. The FMA actively works to stop any legislation that hurts physicians and patients and works closely with county and specialty medical societies throughout the state. The following PDF files are fact sheets on health care legislation that will be addressed in the 2008 Legislative session.

For a complete copy of the FMA's 2008 Legislative Agenda, click here to download the PDF from the FMA website

FMA 2008 Legislative Agenda - a brief summary of legislative priorities

Scope of Practice issues

Sovereign Immunity Issues

Contacting your State Representative or Senator

2008 Contact Information for Duval Delegation -- Updated 2/1/08
How to Effectively Communicate with your Legislator. Please read this at least once before you make contact with your Senator or Representative.

2007 Florida Legislative Session

2007 FMA Legislative Priorities

FMA Legislative Bulletins (you are being redirected to the FMA website).

National Advocacy Efforts

A comprehensive summary of advocacy efforts of the AMA
(you are being redirected to the AMA website)

More about Medical Liability Reform from the AMA
(you are being redirected to the AMA website)

Legal Issues:

For Physicians

Waiver of Non-Economic Damages: The Florida Supreme Court approved the use of a legal waiver by trial attorneys to earn larger fees than current law dictates (e.g., up to 30% of the first $250,000 and up to 10% thereafter). The FMA has developed its own legal patient waiver for physicians to electively use in their offices. For more information about using the waiver, click on this link: Waiver Talking Points
Legal Articles from FPIC, DCMS Vendor of Choice
- Risky Business: Practicing with Uninsured Physicians
- Clinical Practice Parameters: Successful Management of Diagnostic Testing
- Importing Medications from Foreign Countries
- Preventing Medical Errors: Wrong Site Surgery
- The Physician Assistant: Extending Physician Outreach Without Increasing Professional Liability
Checklist for Avoiding Problems with the Board of Medicine
(PDF file) prepared by FMA

For Patients

Health Care Advanced Directives (updated 3/05) (PDF file)
Download the legal documents you need to establish your advanced directives

Filing a complaint against a health care provider
(you will be redirected to Department of Health website)

What you need to know about Medical Records

Ethical Issues:

Elements of Ethical Care for Patients at the End-of-Life
Reporting Ethical Violations
Fundamental Elements of the Patient-Physician Relationship
The Florida Patient's Bill of Rights
Questions & Answers About Organ Donation
Organ Donation Related Links
Association of Procurement Organizations
United Network for Organ Sharing
LifeQuest Florida - Organ Procurement Agency for Northeast Florida
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services Organ Donation Site

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