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1.) Discuss the four components of a valid contract and apply them to a contract

ID: 122348 • Letter: 1

Question

1.) Discuss the four components of a valid contract and apply them to a contract with a vendor to purchase a new CT scanner. What would you include in the contract? How would you be sure it would be valid?

2.) Since the hospital/patient relationship is considered a contract of sorts, how is it affected if the patient decides to disconnect himself from telemetry and leave the hospital for 4 hours to go score some cocaine on the street? What would you do as a hospital administrator in this situation?

Explanation / Answer

1) A valid contract must have 4 essential components viz. capacity, mutual agreement, consideration,and legal purpose. To purchase a new CT scanner, first of all the person who intends to buy must be mentally and financially capable, and is not a minor; there should be an acceptance of the agreement of either side by both the parties; there should be an exchange of values from both the sides, and the terms of the contract must be backed by the laws of the land. A valid contract must be an express contract where the terms and conditions are openly declared , and neither of the parties can quit without the agreement of the other party.

2) It is a classic case of a conflict between responsibility of pateint welfare, and respect for patient autonomy. Dedication to the patients welfare is first and foremost, now in this case it is important to counsel the patient on the possibility of negative outcomes. If a contract is valid, the patient will not be allowed to quit untill and unless the admnistrator or the clinician agrees. However respecting patients autonomy is also an important matter. An effective pattern of communication by involving family members might help.