What is the term for the legal responsibility of a healthcare provider for harm caused to a patient?

In the context of healthcare, the term "malpractice" specifically refers to a situation where a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, which results in harm to a patient. This legal concept centers on the negligence of the provider, demonstrating that the provider’s actions (or inactions) directly led to injury or damage. Malpractice claims typically require proof that the provider had a duty to the patient, breached that duty, and that the breach caused tangible harm.

While other terms like "negligence" relate to the failure of a provider to act with reasonable care, and "liability" refers more generally to being legally responsible for something, malpractice encompasses a broader legal assertion that includes negligence as part of a claim against the provider. "Breach of duty" indicates that a provider did not adhere to the expected standards, but it lacks the complete framework that malpractice provides in terms of legal responsibility linked to patient harm. Thus, the correct choice emphasizes both the failure in care and the resultant consequences that define malpractice in a legal context.