Question

Which of these would not fall under the heading of medical malpractice?

A) Misdiagnosis
B) Medication Errors
C) Hospital-acquired Infections
D) Routine Physical Examination

Answer 1

Hospital-acquired infections typically do not fall under medical malpractice unless there is evidence of negligence, as they can occur even when proper medical procedures are implemented.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the options A) Misdiagnosis, B) Medication Errors, C) Hospital-acquired Infections, or D) Routine Physical Examination, the one that would not fall under the heading of medical malpractice is hospital-acquired infections.

Medical malpractice refers to a situation where a healthcare professional provides substandard care, resulting in harm to a patient. This would include scenarios such as misdiagnosis or medication errors, where the professional's actions directly lead to patient harm. However, hospital-acquired infections can occur even when proper procedures are followed due to the inherent risk of infection in hospital settings. These infections are often classified as nosocomial diseases and can be somewhat expected due to factors such as the presence of sick patients and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, unless there is proof of negligence, such as not following protocols or inadequate sterilization, a hospital-acquired infection might not constitute medical malpractice.