The imaging department is swamped, and you find yourself relieving an imaging professional in the intravenous pyelography (IVP) room.

Radiologic Technology

I.a) Case Analysis: 1

The imaging department is swamped, and you find yourself relieving an imaging professional in

the intravenous pyelography (IVP) room. He tells you everything is ready for you to inject the

patient. You speak to the radiologist between other procedures, and she hurriedly comes in and injects the

contrast medium without inquiring about informed consent or looking at the form. Just as you finish the IVP

films, the patient begins to exhibit signs of anaphylactic shock. The appropriate emergency care is

administered. As the activity in the IVP room slows down, you notice that the informed consent form is

neither filled out nor signed. The patient ends up in intensive care and eventually dies, leaving behind a

husband and a 3-month-old child.

Discussion questions:

Have you created liability for yourself? __ YES __ NO

Have you created liability for the hospital? __ YES __ NO

Have you created liability for the radiologist? __ YES __ NO

What must the family prove to be successful in a lawsuit? 

I.b) Case Analysis: 2

A man and his wife arrive at the emergency room (ER), the man complaining of severe pain in his

left flank area. Upon their arrival they explain that they do not have insurance coverage. They

are both fairly certain the problem is a kidney stone because the man has had three previous bouts with

kidney stones. He is in significant pain, but quite capable of the informed consent process. The ER physician

sends the man for a computed tomography (CT) scan and numerous other exams. The stone is located and

removed, and the man and his wife return home. A few weeks later they receive a “hefty” hospital bill that

includes the many exams. They contact the hospital billing department and explain that they have no

insurance and did not give permission for the many exams. The hospital employee with whom they speak

explains to them that the ER physician does not need permission to do these exams, but they continue to

argue their case. Finally they contact the finance officer and question the hospital’s informed consent

process. The hospital drops the CT charges after the couple continues to state their case.

Discussion questions:

Was the informed consent process necessary in this case? __ YES __ NO

Did the physician respect the autonomy of the patient? __ YES __ NO

If the man had questioned the CT technologist about the exam, what should the technologist have done?

II. Using a diagram, illustrate the Philippine Court System and identify what cases are handled in

each type of court.