Syllabus for HCL-7040

Healthcare Law

Course Description

Healthcare Law provides a foundation in healthcare law and how it can be used to improve the quality of healthcare delivered. Topics include tort law, medical personnel, information management, patient consent, legal reporting, patient rights, management of healthcare data, ethics, AIDS, and end of life issues. Emphasis is placed on establishing foundational knowledge of the different aspects of the legal system as it pertains specifically to healthcare. This includes understanding historical implications that shape the legal system as we know it today. This course will also strive to understand the responsibility to protect the needs of the uninsured and those who face barriers to quality care.

Topics

Healthcare law.
Healthcare ethics.
Patient rights.
Legal reporting.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, you should be able to:

CO 1 Assess ethical and legal issues that impact patients, providers, and healthcare organizations in the United States healthcare system.

CO 2 Portray the evolution of the legal system specific to healthcare.

CO 3 Generate examples of sentinel events in healthcare.

CO 4 Portray the need to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of patient information.

CO 5 Depict what constitutes a criminal event in the care of an individual.

CO 6 Suggest when individuals are or are not able to make informed decisions regarding their care.

CO 7 Formulate different methods to address ethical situations.

CO 8 Propose possible unique considerations of an AIDS patient.

CO 9 Suggest why professionals need liability insurance when providing care.

Study Materials

There is no textbook for this course. All of the learning resources that you need will be linked in the appropriate module details under Study Materials. (For courses that require you to purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Course Structure

Healthcare Law is a 3-credit, online course consisting of 8 modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

Module 1: The Role of the Legal System in Healthcare.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 1, CO 2.
Module 2: Legal Reporting Requirements of Healthcare Personnel.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 4, CO 6.

Module 3: Management of Healthcare Data and Patient Records.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 5.
Module 4: Criminal Acts Within Healthcare.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 6.
Module 5: Decision-Making Capabilities of the Patient.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 7.
Module 6: Healthcare Ethics.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 8.

Module 7: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 9.
Module 8: Professional Liability Insurance.
Course objectives covered in this module: CO 10.

Assessment Methods

You are required to participate in the following for formal work in the course:

Write online discussion forum posts.
Complete written assignments.
Complete a synchronous event.
Finish a final project.

See below for details.

Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this Plagiarism Detection Tool Google document.

Discussion Forums

You are required to complete 8 discussion forums. The discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. The goal of the discussions is for each of you to provide an individualized response to the question and actively engage with your peers by providing insightful and detailed replies to their posts. Please remember to support your ideas with scholarly references.

Written Assignments

You are required to complete 5 written assignments. The written assignments are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. Each of the written assignments will help you enhance and expand your knowledge of the topics related to the module and to assist with making a connection between what we are learning and real-life scenarios.

Synchronous Event

You are required to complete 1 synchronous event. The synchronous event will provide you with support in completing the final project. You will be offered the opportunity to share your progress and receive instructor and peer feedback regarding suggestions and ideas toward successful completion of the final project before its submission.

The synchronous event will be held in Edison Live!, our virtual meeting space. To access the event, click the Collaboration Space link in the Edison Live! section of the course site a few minutes before the designated time. Use the following link for directions and helpful videos about how to use the Edison Live! tool in Moodle. Your mentor will work with the class to propose a time that works best and accommodates the majority. See the Module 7 section of the course website for further details.

Final Project

You will keep a weekly journal (Weeks 2 through 7) related to the legal issues affecting the healthcare industry or delivery of services. Each week you will select a current events news article related to that module’s topic and summarize and evaluate the article. At the end of the course, you will synthesize the articles into one final analysis paper.

Examples of relevant entries/news articles include the following:

Changes to the Medicare or Medicaid programs.
Recent healthcare fraud settlements.
Pending or adjudicated cases (e.g., UPMC/Highmark litigation).
Pending or passed legislation directly impacting healthcare.

The journal should include a copy of the article, as well as a short discussion or summary of the article. Each journal entry must demonstrate your understanding of the health law and/or ethics issues involved.

Consult the Final Project section of the course for further details.

Grading and Evaluation

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

8 online discussions are worth 20% of your final grade.
5 written assignments are worth 50% of your final grade.
A synchronous event is worth 5% of your final grade.
The final project is worth 25% of your final grade.

6 weekly subscriptions are worth 9% of your final grade.
Final analysis is worth 16% of your final grade.

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A is 93 to 100.
A minus is 90 to 92.
B plus is 88 to 89.
B is 83 to 87.
C is 73 to 82.
F is any grade below a 73.

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., assignments, discussion postings, projects). Graduate students must maintain a B average overall to remain in good academic standing.

Strategies for Success

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

Take time to read the entire Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State University.

Arrange to take your examination(s) by following the instructions in this Syllabus and the Student Handbook.

Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

If you are not familiar with web-based learning, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the Course Calendar. The Course Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and submitting the final project.

Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

Using AI Ethically: A Guide for TESU Students

TESU's Academic Code of Conduct permits student AI use in support of their writing and research process—not as a replacement for original writing.

Document AI use with an acknowledgment statement at the end of each assignment, noting the tools and prompts used. Cite any AI-generated content on the References page.

Please review Using AI Ethically: A Guide for TESU Students for more detailed information.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Thomas Edison State University recognizes, values, and relies upon the diversity of our community. We strive to provide equitable, inclusive learning experiences that embrace our students’ backgrounds, identities, experiences, abilities, and expertise.

Accessibility and Accomodations

Thomas Edison State University adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990 and ADAAA, 2008) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) oversees requests for academic accommodations related to disabilities, including:

A student who is pregnant, postpartum, or parenting a newborn who is not the birth parent [as covered under NJSA18A].
Students requesting academic accommodation for a short-term or temporary illness.
TESU students requesting academic accommodation for an injury.

Information can be found on the Office of Student Accessibility Services webpage.

Questions can be sent to ADA@tesu.edu.

Academic Policies

Familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies, including those related to the following list, to ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University:

Academic integrity.
Course late submissions.
Extensions for the course.
Grading policies.

For more, see: