Medico-Legal Practice and Physiotherapy: A Study in Mekelle, Ethiopia

Abstract

The legal and ethical consideration just thinking about practices in physiotherapy profession. Previously people used to think about research; just to link consent form to provide better treatment, but as physiotherapy is an independent profession and doesn’t depend on any other, so they must follow the medico legal aspects as to provide quality services providing a complete evidence based service will make all the physiotherapist to bind on legal aspects. It is a moral relationship between patient and physiotherapist; because physiotherapy is the only profession where patient and physiotherapist spend long time with each other. The physiotherapist is bound to provide better and quality services to the patient based on informed consent. The legal and ethical considerations regarding informed consent for the evaluation and treatment of patients in physical therapy practice. Therapists traditionally think of informed consent in relation to clinical research, but as the trend toward independent practice and private practice increases in physical therapy, the physical therapist must understand the process of informed consent in relation to patient care. Legal concepts of self-determination and the relationship create a legal foundation for informed consent. The patient's moral right to self-determination and the corresponding duty of health professionals to "do no harm" create a strong moral basis for gaining a patient's informed consent. Practical suggestions are offered to physical therapists to help them assess their need for obtaining informed consent.

Keywords: Informed consent, physical therapy, Medico-legal aspect