What is the term used when a healthcare provider's negligence results in patient harm?

The term that describes a situation where a healthcare provider's negligence results in patient harm is "malpractice." Malpractice specifically refers to professional negligence by a healthcare provider, which leads to the violation of the standard of care expected in the medical community. This could involve errors in diagnosis, treatment, or aftercare that result in injury to the patient.

In the context of healthcare, malpractice cases typically focus on whether the provider acted in accordance with the accepted standards of practice within their profession. If it can be established that the provider failed to meet these standards and that this failure directly caused harm to the patient, then that is classified as malpractice. It is important to establish both the breach of duty and causation to successfully prove a malpractice claim.

While negligence is a broader term that refers to any failure to behave with the level of care that someone of ordinary prudence would have exercised under the same circumstances, it does not specifically apply to the healthcare profession without the context of the specific duties owed by medical professionals. Criminal liability involves violations of the law that could result in criminal charges, which is separate from the civil nature of malpractice. An ethical breach pertains to violations of ethical standards set forth by professional organizations, which may not necessarily result in direct harm to a patient