How doctors can minimize harm: the essential duties of patient care

KevinMD November 16, 2024
Howard Smith, MD

Primum non nocere, “first, do no harm,” is the prime directive of medical ethics for all physicians. It is also the first thing that comes into question when maleficence by a doctor is suspected.

The standard of care is how any prudent and competent practitioner should exercise their duty to, “first, do no harm,” when managing a specific medical condition. The standard of care is empirical and adjusts to circumstances that present at the initiation of, or during the course of, a patient encounter.

This definition presumes that the duty to, “first, do no harm,” is a continuance of more specific duties that arise from the first encounter to the last. In fact, there are ten specific duties.

These duties...

Today's Sponsors

Today's Sponsor