Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Communication and Legal/EthicalMedium
A medical assistant is reviewing a new patient's intake forms. The patient has indicated they are a Jehovah's Witness and have marked 'No blood transfusions' on their advanced directive. What is the medical assistant's primary responsibility regarding this information?
- AEnsure this information is prominently flagged and documented in the patient's medical record.
- BInform the patient that the hospital policy may override their directive in an emergency.
- CDiscuss the potential risks of refusing blood transfusions with the patient.
- DAdvise the patient to reconsider their stance, given the severity of potential medical situations.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Ensure this information is prominently flagged and documented in the patient's medical record.
A patient's advanced directive, especially regarding religious beliefs impacting care like blood transfusions, must be clearly documented and flagged in the medical record. This ensures all healthcare providers are aware of the patient's wishes and can respect them, which is a core ethical and legal responsibility.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. While hospital policy might address emergencies, the primary responsibility is to document the patient's wishes, not to immediately challenge them.
- C. Discussing risks is the physician's role in obtaining informed consent, not the medical assistant's primary responsibility regarding an already-stated directive.
- D. Advising a patient to reconsider their religious or personal beliefs regarding care is unethical and violates patient autonomy.
Advanced Directives in EHR
Legal documents that allow patients to make decisions about their medical care in advance, such as refusing specific treatments, and must be clearly documented in the electronic health record.
- Reflects patient autonomy.
- Must be easily accessible to all care providers.
- Includes living wills and durable powers of attorney for healthcare.
Memory trick: Document, Flag, Respect, Communicate: DRFC.