Course Syllabus

BUS323 The Legal and Ethical Environment for Healthcare Managers - TMG Fall 2025.docx

 

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts

 

Gerrish School of Business

Course Syllabus

 

Course No: BUS323

Course Title: The Legal and Ethical Environment for Healthcare Managers

Credits: 3

Class Type: Online/Asynchronous

Semester and Year: Fall 2025

 

Faculty:

Office Location: online/Zoom

Telephone: 718-781-6446 (a NYC number)

Email: tmillerg@endicott.edu

Office Hours:  By Appointment Only

 

Catalog Description

This course covers laws and ethics that affect the business of modern medical practice. It examines relationships among physicians, patients, and medical assistants. Topics include the legal system, the medical profession, and consumers of their services. Also covered are professional liability and medical malpractice, physicians’ responsibilities, medical records, ethical and bioethical issues, and current regulations. The case study method is used to study sensitive topics such as patient confidentiality, abortion, and death and dying.

Prerequisites: BUS3XX Introduction to Healthcare Management.

 

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Display an understanding of the hierarchical nature of federal, state and local standards and regulations on the control and use of health information in healthcare administration.
  2. Engage in appropriate health information disclosure practices.
  3. Demonstrate insight and sensitivity as they discuss ethical issues in the administration of healthcare.
  4. Define general legal terms as they apply to the practice of the administration of medicine in ambulatory care settings.
  5. Explain governmental healthcare guidelines as they pertain to patient rights in the administration of healthcare.
  6. Interpret professional values and obligations inherent in the American Health Information

Management Association (AHIMA) Code of Ethics in the administration of healthcare.

  1. Explicate and utilize the HIPAA privacy standards and rules with regard to health information use and disclosure.

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

The course includes in-class lectures, case studies, in-class structured debates, “Business Application Fridays” (in which students will apply the legal and ethical principles to real-world healthcare management problems), individual presentations, and exams.

 

Required Readings

Fremgen, B.F. (2020). Medical Law and Ethics (6th edition). Pearson. ISBN: 9780135414521, 0135414520

 

Recommended Readings 

Throughout the semester, students will be required to read journal articles or relevant industry publications. These readings will be posted on Canvas and will be free to download.

 

Statement of Expectations

Students who study in the School of Business are expected to demonstrate exemplary academic conduct and to embrace the following values:

  • Focus: pay attention in class; turn off electronics if your instructor doesn’t permit them.
  • Positive Attitude: participate in class discussions (join in even if you’re not sure of the answers to questions); get engaged in events in the school; encourage your peers to step outside their comfort zone.
  • Work Ethic: attend all classes; use professional writing for all assignments (no matter how small they are); avoid plagiarism; avoid collaborating with other students for individual assignments; report unethical activities if you observe them among your peers.
  • Punctuality: arrive on time to class; complete all work on time.
  • Kindness: recognize that every student has the right to speak; don’t dominate classroom discussions; understand that your peers’ life experiences may be very different from your own, and be patient when others are sharing their thoughts.
  • Humility: accept that you will sometimes make mistakes; anticipate penalties when work is not submitted on time or does not meet the required standard; communicate openly with your professors and your advisor if you are experiencing challenges.

 

In return, you can expect your instructor to:

  • Professionally conduct all classes.
  • respect the contribution that each student brings to the classroom and invite discussion to view issues from multiple angles.  
  • be available to meet with you during scheduled office hours.
  • Post grades on Canvas on time (within 2 weeks for all assessment items, unless otherwise notified).
  • Respond promptly (within 48 hours) to requests for feedback on your work.
  • Communicate clearly about expectations and provide a detailed grading rubric for every assignment.
  • grade fairly and objectively, including penalizing students who do not perform according to the stated criteria.

 

Evaluation Methods

This course is graded out of 100%.

 

3 Individual Assessment Essays 30%

  • There are 3 individual assessment essays given throughout this course.  Each essay is worth 10%.

Discussion Board Weekly Assignments 20%

  • Chapter feedback assignments must be submitted weekly on Sunday at 11:59pm. Each weekly chapter assignments should include an explanation of the three terms or topics from each chapter.

 

Video or Article Assignments 10%

  • Each week a video or article assignment will be due on Thursday at 11:59pm. Each video or article assignment should include a short paragraph

 

Small Group Zoom/ Application Assignments 15%

  • Each application assignment is worth 10 points. There will be 10 of these. These tasks assess your understanding of how to apply ethical and legal concepts to healthcare management scenarios.

 

The small zoom assignments will involve small group work. Tasks may take the form of written case study assignments, role playing, or public debate.  

 

When debate is used, you are expected to come prepared with written notes so that you are well-equipped to debate either side of the topic. You will be assessed on your arguments presented in group Zoom, as well as your written thoughts that you will submit after the small group Zoom discussion. When case studies are used, you will prepare by reading the case before class. We will then discuss the case as a group and, after class, you will prepare a written summary of your response and submit that for grading.

 

Final Presentation on Ethics 20%

  • The final presentation involves a “deep dive” into a medical ethics topic. You may choose your topic; however, the topic must be approved by the instructor. Each student will deliver a 10-minute presentation and will also submit a written summary of their findings. The written summary will acknowledge both sides of the issue (using citations) and will include a reflective essay culminating in a personal position statement (i.e., a statement of what decision you would ultimately make and why).

 

Deadlines and Late Work

Deadlines are firm and late work will not be accepted. If you miss any exam, homework task, assignment, or the final project, you will forfeit the points available for it. You are welcome to submit work early if you wish. Please note, though, that you cannot redo work that is submitted early. Every exam, homework task, assignment, or project may be submitted only once.

Grading

 

Each student will be assigned a letter grade as follows:

A

=

94-100

 

B-

=

80-83

 

D+

=

67-69

A-

=

90-93

 

C+

=

77-79

 

D

=

64-66

B+

=

87-89

 

C

=

74-76

 

D-

=

60-63

B

=

84-86

 

C-

=

70-73

 

F

=

< 60

WX

=

(Withdrawn Failed)

 

 

BUS 323 Grading Guidelines

Assignment/Activity

Due Date

% of Final Grade

Small Group Zoom/ Application Assignments

Throughout term

15%

Video or Article Assignments

Throughout term

10%

Discussion Board Weekly Assignments

Throughout term

25%

Individual Assessment Essays

 

30%

Final Presentation on Ethics

 

20%

 

 

100%

 

 

 

 

Academic Integrity Statement

Students are required to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy (https://goo.gl/CBD2qJ) of Endicott College.

 

I take proper academic conduct seriously, as it is unfair to other students when cheating goes unpunished. It is important that the work assessed in this course is your own. Any plagiarism or cheating will result in a failing grade in the course, and all violations will be reported to the Dean of Academic Success. Please consult with me prior to the start of week two if you are unclear about proper academic behavior and what constitutes misconduct, or if you do not know the difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing.

 

Please note that all work in this course (exams, homework, application assignments, and the final project) must be completed individually. Do not collaborate with other students on any of the work for this course!

 

 

 

Turnitin Policy

By taking this course, students agree that all required assignments may be subject to submission for “similarity review” to Turnitin.com, a tool intended not just to detect instances of plagiarism, but to prevent it as well. The tool is intended to help students identify passages that are unoriginal, incorrectly cited, or lacking appropriate source information. Submitted assignments may also be archived in the Turnitin.com database to check for possible future instances of plagiarism, additional similarity searches, and other educational purposes at the discretion of the instructor.

 

ADA Policy

If you, as a student, believe that you qualify as a person with a disability as defined in Chapter 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), you are strongly encouraged to register with the Accessibility Services Office located on the 2nd Floor of the Diane M. Halle Library and online at the Center for Accessibility Services website. Faculty will then be notified directly from the Accessibility Services Office of any approved academic accommodations, including extended time eligibility.

Religious Observances

Students must notify the instructor within the first two weeks of class of the specific days or dates on which s/he request relief for religious reasons.

 

Course Expectations

For each credit hour, students are expected to spend a minimum of two hours on work outside of class each week. For this three-credit course, that means a minimum of six hours each week.

 

Students must review the Academic Calendar published by the Registrar’s Office online at: http://tinyurl.com/hbmfywj.

 

Class attendance is expected of all students up to and including the last day of scheduled Finals in the semester. Students must plan accordingly. Every missed class will result in a loss of 10 attendance & participation points. Assignment submissions are considered students’ attendance. Students who miss more than 5 assignments will jeopardize their enrollment status in the class.

 

Topical Outline and Timeline

The table below shows an outline of the topics to be covered in this course.

 

Week

 

Date

Topic

Assignment / Activities

1

W

Aug 27

Introduction to course; course expectations, Introduction to Medical Law, Ethics, and Bioethics

Read chapter 1; Read the syllabus and Canvas Course

2

M

Sept 1

Essentials of the Legal System for Healthcare Professionals; Read physical therapy case

Read chapters 2 and 3; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on physical therapy case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

3

M

Sept 8

Working in Today’s Healthcare Environment 

Read chapter 4; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on pacemaker case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

4

M

Sept 15

Due on Friday, September 19, 2025, by 11:59on

Individual Assessment Discussion Paper on chapters 1 – 4

5

M

Sept 22

Introduction to the healthcare environment

Read chapter 5; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on physicians-patients relationships’ case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

6

M

Sept 29

Professional Liability and Medical Malpractice

Read chapter 6; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm EST;

Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on medical malpractice’ case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

7

M

Oct 6

Public Duties of the Healthcare Professional

Read chapter 7; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm

7

M

Oct 13

Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (school holiday)

Due on Friday, October 17, 2025 by 11:59on

Individual assessment discussion paper on chapters 5 – 7 due on Friday

8

M

Oct 20

Workplace Law and Ethics

Read chapter 8; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on Workplace Law and Ethics’  case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

9

M

Oct 22

Medical records

Read chapter 9; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on medical records’ case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

10

M

Oct 27

Patient confidentiality and HIPAA

Read chapter 10; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on Patient confidentiality and HIPAA’s case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

11

M

Nov 3

Ethical decision-making group activities

Due on Friday, November 7, 2025, by 11:59on

Individual paper on the Ethical and Legal Environment

12

M

Nov 10

Introduction to major ethical considerations

Read chapter 11; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on major ethical considerations’ case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

13

M

Nov 17

Ethical and bioethical issues in medicine and Ethical Issues Relating to Life

Read chapter 12; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST; Video Discussion Board Assignment due on Thursday by 11:59pm ; Recorded Small Group Zoom debate on Willowbrook State Hospital case study due on Friday by 11:59pm

14

M

Nov 24

Death and Dying and Future Trends in Healthcare

Read chapters 13 and 14; Discussion Board Assignment due on Sunday by 11:59pm EST

 

Th

Nov 27

Thanksgiving

No Video Assignments Due or Recorded Small Group Zoom debate

15

 

Dec 1

Finals Week

Recorded Final Group Zoom presentations due on Friday by 11:59pm

 

 

Subject to Change Statement

This schedule is subject to change. Please ensure you stay informed about changes to the schedule or additional readings. Announcements about changes to the schedule will be made in class or via email, so it is important to attend all classes and check your email daily.