Monetary Fines Research Articles

"Nudge" and the epidemic of missed appointments.

Purpose - Missed appointments constitute a significant problem in the UK National Health Service (NHS) and this remains an area where improvements could yield substantial efficiency savings. The purpose of this paper is to suggest that nudge policies based on behavioural theories may help target interventions to improve patient motivation to attend appointments. Design/methodology/approach - The authors propose two policies to reduce missed appointments. The first attempts to empower patients through making the appointment system more individualised to them and utilising their intrinsic feelings of social responsibility. The second policy utilises a financial commitment given by the patient at the time of booking. The different mechanisms of influencing patient behaviour are based on two different views of what motivates individuals' actions. The first policy is based on individuals being "knights". They are altruistic and have well-intentioned values. The second policy option is constructed on the premise that an individual is governed by self-interest, and they are in fact "knaves". Findings - A policy, which avoids the use of financial penalties is likely to be more culturally acceptable within the NHS. It could also prevent the phenomenon of "crowding out" whereby the desire to act dutifully gets displaced by the motivation to avoid incurring a monetary fine. Originality/value - Testing both strategies would provide insight into patient attitudes towards health care and society. This would help optimise behavioural strategies which may influence not only appointment attendances but also have wider implications for encouraging rational health care consumption.

Fines Versus Imprisonment for the Issuance of Bad Checks: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Turkey

We investigate whether the February 2012 amendments to the Check Law in Turkey that replaced imprisonment with monetary and administrative fines for writing bad checks were a driver of the surge in the frequency of bad checks since late 2011. As the planned amendments were announced well in advance, check issuance behavior was potentially altered before the amendments officially took effect. To capture this, we use the cumulative volume of related keyword searches on the internet as a proxy for the legal change. We find that unlike the case during the global financial crisis, the surge in bad checks around 2012 cannot be explained by the changes in the economic environment unless the February 2012 legal change is also controlled for. We also show that the surge in the incidence of bad checks was not accompanied by an increase in their average value. Finally, we provide evidence that economic agents adapt fairly rapidly to the legal change by adjusting their screening and monitoring capacities, which helps to reverse the surge in bad checks within a year. Overall, our findings suggest that sanctions need not be harsh to deter wrongful behavior as long as appropriate infrastructures that will enable efficient behavioral adjustments are in place.

On the Optimal Design of Operational Risk Data Consortia

To manage operational risk banks increasingly use data coming from data consortia that are formed by peer institutions. Though existing data consortia seem to work appropriately, it is worth studying what makes banks to report properly (that is, thoroughly and truthfully), since in several countries where new data consortia are planned to be set up, there are fears that banks may choose to report untruthfully or hide information (what we call misreporting). We show that if misreporting cannot be detected, then even in an infi nitely repeated setup the game has multiple equilibria, so proper reporting is not the unique outcome. Then, we study two types of sanctions. When the punishment is non-monetary (eg, exclusion from the consortium for a given number of periods), then for some parameter values even the harshest punishment cannot bring about proper reporting as the unique outcome. Nonetheless, a numerical example suggests that by designing adequately the data consortium, proper reporting can be advanced, without compromising anonymity overly. When a monetary fi ne is imposed on misreporting banks, then a sufficiently large punishment attains proper reporting, even if anonymity is maintained in the limit.

Investigation on Deterrence Effect of Legal Punishment Measures on Driving After Drinking in Chongqing, China

Objective: Driving after drinking is one of the main causes associated with road accidents in China. China has been concerned about this serious problem and updated the regulations of road traffic safety law about driving after drinking 3 times in the last 10 years to deter this offense. The deterrence effect of the current punishment measures implemented since January 2013 was studied in this article.Methods: Data applied in the study were collected by questionnaire surveys carried out in Chongqing, a city in southwest China. A total of 329 drivers participated in 3 rounds of the survey and a 5-point scale rating was applied in the investigation.Results: There was a slight difference between drivers’ familiarity of the law regarding driving after drinking in April 2013 and April 2014. The perceived certainty of being caught for driving after drinking was higher in April 2013 than in April 2014 and it had a time-dependent decreasing tendency. Our investigations also show that license suspension is the most practical and effective measure and penalty points system ranks second. A monetary fine appears to be inefficient to achieve the desired effects.Conclusions: The fourth edition of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, which took effect in January 2013 coinciding with the application of random breath testing and intensification of enforcement activity, is effective in deterring driving after drinking according to our investigation. More measures should be implemented to change the decreasing tendency of perceived certainty of being caught for driving after drinking. An increase in the monetary fine is suggested.

Forms, Factors And Consequences Of Cheating In University Examinations: Insight From Open And Distance Learning Students

The present study narrated the forms, factors and consequences of cheating in university examinations by Unisa Open and Distance learning students from anecdotal data. The results showed that the perpetrators mostly used crib materials on paper, ruler and calculator cover. The factors that influenced examination cheating were gender, age range and regional locations of candidates. The consequences were monetary fines and suspension periods. The limitation of the study is that inferences are based on documented evidence only without verifications through interviews. The study provides some recommendations that may provide Registrars of universities with insight to tighten up examination regulations so that the credibility of degrees universities offer is upheld through awarding degrees to deserving students only.

The Protection Of Personal Information (POPI) Act - Impact On South Africa

South Africa has received its own data protection legislation - the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act - in November 2013 and is expecting the government to appoint an Information Regulator to enforce the letter of the law. Until then, South African businesses will have time to get their house in order, but uncertainty exists as to how businesses will be affected when this happens. It is anticipated that the enforcement activities by the Information Regulator will be similar to how it is done by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) in the United Kingdom. The ICO has been enforcing compliance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) of the United Kingdom since it obtained its enforcement powers in April 2010. This article summarises all actions taken by the ICO from April 2010 until the end of December2013 to determine the industries most affected, the contraventions with the highest frequency and, where applicable, the highest monetary fines. This article should provide some insight into what South African businesses can expect after the Information Regulator is appointed and starts to enforce the law. It will also enable them to focus their attention on the safeguarding of business areas with increased data protection risks as well as provide some counter measures that can be taken to prevent punishable contraventions.

Identification of policies for a sustainable legal trade in rhinoceros horn based on population projection and socioeconomic models.

Between 1990 and 2007, 15 southern white (Ceratotherium simum simum) and black (Diceros bicornis) rhinoceroses on average were killed illegally every year in South Africa. Since 2007 illegal killing of southern white rhinoceros for their horn has escalated to >950 individuals/year in 2013. We conducted an ecological–economic analysis to determine whether a legal trade in southern white rhinoceros horn could facilitate rhinoceros protection. Generalized linear models were used to examine the socioeconomic drivers of poaching, based on data collected from 1990 to 2013, and to project the total number of rhinoceroses likely to be illegally killed from 2014 to 2023. Rhinoceros population dynamics were then modeled under 8 different policy scenarios that could be implemented to control poaching. We also estimated the economic costs and benefits of each scenario under enhanced enforcement only and a legal trade in rhinoceros horn and used a decision support framework to rank the scenarios with the objective of maintaining the rhinoceros population above its current size while generating profit for local stakeholders. The southern white rhinoceros population was predicted to go extinct in the wild <20 years under present management. The optimal scenario to maintain the rhinoceros population above its current size was to provide a medium increase in antipoaching effort and to increase the monetary fine on conviction. Without legalizing the trade, implementing such a scenario would require covering costs equal to approximately $147,000,000/year. With a legal trade in rhinoceros horn, the conservation enterprise could potentially make a profit of $717,000,000/year. We believe the 35-year-old ban on rhinoceros horn products should not be lifted unless the money generated from trade is reinvested in improved protection of the rhinoceros population. Because current protection efforts seem to be failing, it is time to evaluate, discuss, and test alternatives to the present policy.El Grano de los Datos de Costo Económico con Referencia Espacial y de Beneficio a la Biodiversidad y la Efectividad de una Estrategia de Determinación de CostosResumenEntre 1990 y 2007, en promedio fueron cazados ilegalmente cada año 15 rinocerontes sureños blancos (Ceratotherium simum simum) y negros (Diceros bicornis) en Sudáfrica. Desde 2007 la caza ilegal de rinocerontes sureños blancos por su cuerno ha escalado a más de 950 individuos al año en 2013. Llevamos a cabo un análisis ecológico-económico para determinar si el comercio legal de cuerno de rinoceronte sureño blanco podría facilitar la protección del rinoceronte. Se usaron modelos lineales generalizados para examinar a los conductores socio-económicos de la caza furtiva, con base en datos colectados desde 1990 hasta 2013, y también para proyectar el número total de rinocerontes con probabilidad de ser cazados ilegalmente desde 2014 hasta 2023. Las dinámicas poblacionales de los rinocerontes fueron entonces modeladas bajo ocho escenarios políticos diferentes que podrían implementarse para controlar la caza furtiva. También estimamos los costos económicos y los beneficios de cada escenario solamente bajo la ejecución aumentada del plan de manejo y el comercio legal de cuerno de rinoceronte y usamos un marco de trabajo de apoyo a decisiones para ordenar los escenarios con el objetivo de mantener la población de rinocerontes por encima de su tamaño actual mientras se generan ganancias para los accionistas locales. Se predijo que la población de rinocerontes sureños blancos se extinguiría en menos de 20 años bajo el manejo actual. El escenario óptimo para mantener la población de rinocerontes por encima de su tamaño actual fue el de proporcionar un incremento mediano en el esfuerzo contra la caza furtiva e incrementar la multa monetaria de la condena. Sin legalizar el mercado, implementar tal escenario requeriría cubrir costos de aproximadamente $147, 000, 000 al año. Con un comercio legal de cuerno de rinoceronte, la iniciativa de conservación podría ganar potencialmente $717, 000, 000 al año. Creemos que la prohibición de 35 años de los productos de cuerno de rinoceronte no debería ser levantada a menos que el dinero generado de este comercio sea reinvertido en la protección mejorada de la población de rinocerontes. Ya que los esfuerzos de protección actuales parecen estar fallando, es momento de evaluar, discutir y probar alternativas a la política actual.

The Impact of Scandals on Mutual Fund Performance, Money Flows and Fees

We examine the effects of fraud committed by mutual fund managers taking into account the dual responsibilities managers have for their employer firm and investors. Performance increases in the immediate aftermath of a scandal being reported, followed by a significant drop suggesting fund managers actively preempt the fallout from fraud disclosures. Investors who remain with a scandal fund under-perform by an average of 48 basis points in the subsequent year. Fraud is punished by reduced fund inflows to affected funds. Underperformance and money outflows are more severe with higher monetary fines, regulatory actions initiated by SEC, and the involvement of more than one regulatory body. Scandal funds reduce their expense ratios, possibly to retain and attract investors. This effort allows scandal funds to delay asset fire sales by up to a quarter. However, fund families reduce expenditure on marketing and distribution costs, likely to ameliorate the fallout from scandals by withdrawing affected funds from the limelight.

Constitutional Court of Georgia: Deprivation of Driving License – a Sanction or a Cause of Discrimination?

The Georgian Code of Administrative Offences imposed a more severe sanction on Georgian nationals (citizens) than on non-nationals for evading the examination establishing the influence of alcohol; particularly, while non-nationals were charged by monetary fine, Georgian nationals were deprived of the driving license for three years. This, according to the Court, led to the unjustified different treatment that constituted discrimination.

The Evolution of U.S. Cartel Enforcement

Antitrust as a whole was transformed owing in large part to Robert Bork in The Antitrust Paradox. This paper examines what Bork said and did not say about cartel enforcement and offers an examination of how the actual structure of cartel enforcement played out relative to what Bork advocated. To provide some perspective on Bork’s view of cartel enforcement, we compare his views with those of the other major influential antitrust book of the time by Richard Posner. We identify three distinct stages of cartel enforcement. Stage 1 is characterized by a low number of cartels prosecuted along with low fines and jail terms. Consistent with Bork’s vision, stage 2 demonstrates a significant increase in cartels prosecuted, although fines and jail terms remain low. Stage 3 (the current stage) exemplifies a decline in the number of cartels prosecuted relative to stage 2 but with dramatic increases in monetary fines and jail terms.

Disparities in Punishment of White- and Blue-Collar Crimes in Austria

Employing Hierarchical Cluster Analysis on data from the Austrian Conviction Statistics we use the severity of sanctioning to build three sets of crimes, one of which is predominantly associated with blue-collar crimes and the other two represent different forms of white-collar criminality. Our measurement instrument for severity of sanctioning is the relative usage of unconditional prison sentences and unconditional monetary fines. With those instruments we can obtain a picture of how directly punishments are felt by the delinquents. Analyzing the typical penalty structure for the three groups we find that white-collar crimes are punished significantly different and, in general, more mildly than blue-collar crimes. Within one group there is only very few unconditional sanctioning of any type at all, leaving this group very mildly punished. Then, within the group including Tax Fraud nearly no prison terms but an extremely high level of unconditional monetary fines can be found. Compare available sociodemographic data regarding the convicted persons to find that gender and nationality are not responsible for the differences between the groups. A probable explanation for the disparities can be seen in the relative incidence of repeat offenders. In a subset excluding repeat offenders the differences with regard to unconditional prison terms vanish but the other differences still remain. So, the need for higher deterrence explains only a part of the disparities of punishment between white- and blue-collar crimes.

On the optimal design of operational risk data consortiums

To manage operational risk, banks increasingly use data from consortiums formed by peer institutions. Although existing data consortiums seem to work appropriately, it is worth examining why banks report properly (that is, thoroughly and truthfully), since in several countries where new data consortiums are planned, there are fears that banks may choose to report untruthfully or hide information (what we call misreporting). We show that if misreporting cannot be detected, then, even in an infinitely repeated setup, the game has multiple equilibriums, so proper reporting is not the unique outcome. We then analyze two types of sanctions. When the punishment is nonmonetary (eg, exclusion from the consortium for a given number of periods), then for some parameter values even the harshest punishment cannot bring about proper reporting as the unique outcome. Nonetheless, a numerical example suggests that by designing the data consortium adequately, proper reporting can be advanced, without overly compromising anonymity. When a monetary fine is imposed on misreporting banks, a sufficiently severe punishment results in proper reporting, even if anonymity is maintained in the limit.

Are xenotransplantation safeguards legally viable

Scientists agree on the need for robust public health safeguards to accompany the imminent introduction of xenotransplantation--clinical transplantation of animal tissue into humans. To protect society in the event of emerging infectious diseases, governments must devise a legally effective means of ensuring compliance with such safeguards. Neither consent law, the law of contracts, nor existing public health legislation can adequately enforce such compliance. Consent law serves as a mechanism of communicating the momentary waiver of legal rights, not as a durable enforcement doctrine. Because it would be essential for recipients personally to comply with public safety measures, the law of contracts would also be unable to compel compliance. Existing public health legislation would also likely be ineffective because it would need to be substantially amended to incorporate the heightened powers necessary for the periodic examination of asymptomatic xenotransplant recipients. Xenotransplantation-specific legislation would be a legally effective means of enforcing public health safeguards since it could require conforming behaviors and could impose monetary fines on those recipients who, having benefited from life-saving intervention, fail to comply. This Article argues that legislation implementing a post-xenotransplantation surveillance system should withstand constitutional scrutiny because it would not be discriminatory and because, although it would violate fundamental rights of recipients, such violations would be justified under existing constitutional doctrines.

The Relation between Ethics and Law according to the Doctor’s Malpractice in Improving the Healthcare Quality in Jordanian Government Hospitals

The few available data that exist show that the nature relation between ethics and law according to the doctor’s malpractice in improving the health care quality.This research aims to perform a comparative analysis for Jordanian government hospitals depending on the relation between ethics and law according to the doctor’s malpractice to find out the main problems and factors that influence on improving the health care quality for Jordanian government hospitals and then recommend solutions for these problems. A sample of 100 doctors (81 males and 19 females) aged 18-60 years was selected from four departments; maternity, surgery, medical and pediatric using a systematic random sampling technique. Results demonstrated that around 92.0% of respondents agreed that the malpractice of doctors has major influence on the quality of health care. The majority of the respondents explored that this problem can be minimized based on applying the law, while other respondents related this problem to their ethics. Concerning the occurrence of medical errors, respondents verified that the main two reasons behind these errors are the patients and low experience of doctors. On the other hand, results showed that doctors have inadequate information about malpractice and its effect on the health care quality. Thus, to reduce the malpractice of doctors in government hospitals specifically, ministry of health should put strict laws and monetary fines for doctors to decrease the proportion of malpractice in those hospitals.

The Beliefs Which Influence Young Males to Speed and Strategies to Slow Them Down: Informing the Content of Antispeeding Messages

ABSTRACTYoung male drivers are overrepresented in road‐related fatalities. Speeding represents a pervasive and significant contributor to road trauma. Antispeeding messages represent a long‐standing strategy aimed at discouraging drivers from speeding. These messages, however, have not always achieved their persuasive objectives that may be due, in part, to them not always targeting the most salient beliefs underpinning the speeding behavior of particular driver groups. The current study elicited key beliefs underpinning speeding behavior as well as strategies used to avoid speeding, using a well‐validated belief‐based model, the theory of planned behavior, and in‐depth qualitative methods. To obtain the most comprehensive understanding about the salient beliefs and strategies of young male drivers, how such beliefs and strategies compared with those of drivers of varying ages and gender, was also explored. Overall, 75 males and females (aged 17–25 or 30–55) participated in group discussions. The findings revealed beliefs that were particularly relevant to young males and that would likely represent key foci for developing message content. For instance, the need to feel in control and the desire to experience positive affect when driving were salient advantages; while infringements were a salient disadvantage and, in particular, the loss of points and the implications associated with potential license loss as opposed to the monetary (fine) loss (behavioral beliefs). For normative influences, young males appeared to hold notable misperceptions (compared with other drivers, such as young females); for instance, young males believed that females/girlfriends were impressed by their speeding. In the case of control beliefs, the findings revealed low perceptions of control with respect to being able to not speed and a belief that something “extraordinary” would need to happen for a young male driver to lose control of their vehicle while speeding. The practical implications of the findings, in terms of providing suggestions for devising the content of antispeeding messages, are discussed.

The influence of monetary punishment on cognitive control in abstinent cocaine-users

BackgroundDependent drug users show a diminished neural response to punishment, in both limbic and cortical regions, though it remains unclear how such changes influence cognitive processes critical to addiction. To assess this relationship, we examined the influence of monetary punishment on inhibitory control and adaptive post-error behavior in abstinent cocaine dependent (CD) participants. Methods15 abstinent CD and 15 matched control participants performed a Go/No-go response inhibition task, which administered monetary fines for failed response inhibition, during collection of fMRI data. ResultsCD participants showed reduced inhibitory control and significantly less adaptive post-error slowing in response to punishment, when compared to controls. The diminished behavioral punishment sensitivity shown by CD participants was associated with significant hypoactive error-related BOLD responses in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), right insula and right prefrontal regions. Specifically, CD participants’ error-related response in these regions was not modulated by the presence of punishment, whereas control participants’ response showed a significant BOLD increase during punished errors. ConclusionsCD participants showed a blunted response to failed control (errors) that was not modulated by punishment. Consistent with previous findings of reduced sensitivity to monetary loss in cocaine users, we further demonstrate that such insensitivity is associated with an inability to increase cognitive control in the face of negative consequences, a core symptom of addiction. The pattern of deficits in the CD group may have implications for interventions that attempt to improve cognitive control in drug dependent groups via positive/negative incentives.

The Challenges of Screening DUI Offenders

Prior to 1970, most states in the United States at strict penalties that were imposed on convicted DUI offenders. These penalties usually included monetary fines and suspension of driving privileges with sanctions for multiple offenses naturally penalties imposed on recidivists were much greater than for first offenders. However, by the mid 1970s, the national Highway traffic safety administration began to implement alcohol safety action programs, which were instituted in 35 communities across United States and we're sometimes referred to as alcohol countermeasure programs, whereby convicted offenders we're legally mandated to attend alcohol education programs. Many of these alcohol countermeasure programs would include some type of screening assessment to determine whether alcohol education was sufficient or whether alcohol counseling or treatment might be necessary. This came time when it was determined that Street driving under the influence laws and penalties alone were not sufficient in reducing recidivism rates, which within as high as 33% of first offenders who would subsequently receive a second driving under the influence offense. It has been estimated that approximately 50% of first time offenders may have an alcohol use disorder, where is the other half probably comprise individuals who made a poor decision to drink and drive after attending an event such as a wedding or a party. It was hypothesized that these four decision-makers probably do not drink and drive on a consistent basis, as do those with an alcohol use disorder, where by drinking and driving is likely to occur on a regular basis. In this regard, it has been estimated that this group of drivers will make somewhere in the area of 400 drinking and driving trips, prior to coming to the attention of the police.... KEYWORDS: Alcohol drinking; Automobile driving Language: en

Social Media and Unprofessional Pharmacist Conduct: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Boards of Pharmacy

Purpose: To determine how often boards of pharmacy (BOPs) receive complaints related to licensee's online behavior, and what types online behaviors may prompt an investigation of a licensee.&#x0D; Methods: A survey (consisting of questions related to BOP's management of complaints against licensee online behavior and 10 case vignettes) was adapted from a previous survey of United States medical boards. Vignettes encompassed themes such as patient confidentiality, derogatory language, alcohol use, false or misleading product claims, and others. Following institutional review board approval, survey materials were distributed via email by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to 63 domestic and international boards of pharmacy. Completed surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The proportion of respondents who indicated that the vignette would "very likely" or "likely" result in an investigation was used to determine consensus. Proportions of &gt;75%, 50%-75% and &lt;50% were classified as high, moderate and low consensus, respectively.&#x0D; Results: Fourteen completed surveys (22.2%) were received. Sixty percent of respondents stated that their board has been involved in managing a complaint regarding the online behavior of a licensee, and that disciplinary actions including revocation or suspension of license, letter of reprimand, and monetary fines have been enacted. While 79% of responding BOPs have a policy regarding Internet usage, 36% are unsure whether the policies are sufficient to cover online professionalism. One vignette, where a pharmacist made misleading claims regarding a compounded product, achieved high consensus for likelihood to prompt an investigation. Moderate consensus was achieved for a breach of patient confidentiality, inappropriate alcohol use, and misrepresentation of professional credentials.&#x0D; Conclusion: Boards of pharmacy are widely varied in what types of online behaviors may prompt an investigation. Additional dialogue is needed among pharmacy leaders to determine best practices.&#x0D; &#x0D; Type: Original Research

Discharge Summaries: How Long Is Too Long?

The Graduate Medical Education (GME) committee is composed of all Jefferson residency and fellowship program directors, as well as ten selected housestaff members. The committee meets monthly to discuss a wide array of topics, including Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education compliance, duty hours violations, and program reviews. One recently covered topic was the timeliness of discharge summary dictations. Implementing changes to improve transitions of care remains a focus of all healthcare systems. Jefferson is attempting to take an innovative approach to this issue, and discharge summaries are only one of the areas being examined. The current policy requires house staff to dictate the discharge summary within 14 days of discharge. Delinquent summaries receive a monetary fine on a weekly basis. Attending physicians have up to 120 days from discharge to finalize the summary, which is currently not in line with the Joint Commission mandate of finalized summaries within 30 days of hospital discharge. With increasing emphasis on early outpatient follow-up, many primary care physicians are seeing patients prior to having access to the discharge summary. Because of the disparity between the current policy and goal of timely clinical follow-up, Jefferson is examining the current timeline to address this issue.

Laws Applicable to Medical Practice and Hospitals in India

ABSTRACT Healthcare in India features a universal healthcare care system run by the constituent states and territories. Law is an obligation on the part of society imposed by the competent authority, and noncompliance may lead to punishment in the form of monetary fine or imprisonment or both. The earliest known code of laws called the code of Hammurabi governed the various aspects of health practices including the fees payable to physician for satisfactory services. The first ever code of medical ethics called the Hippocratic oath was laid down 2500 years ago, in the 5th century BC, by Hippocrates'the Greek physician. The modern version of Hippocratic Oath (called the declaration of Geneva), devised by the WHO after the second world war and is accepted by international medical fraternity. The process of establishment of healthcare system during the colonial rule also necessitated creation of legislative framework for practitioners of medicine. As the number of doctors qualified in Indian medical colleges increased, creation of laws for them became necessary. The medical council of India, a national level statutory body for the doctors of modern medicine, was constituted after the enactment of Indian Medical Council Act 1933. The first legal recognition and registration for the Indian systems of medicine came when the Bombay Medical Practitioner’ Act was passed in 1938. Laws governing the commissioning of hospital are the laws to ensure that the hospital facilities are created after due process of registration, the facilities created are safe for the public using them, have at least the minimum essential infrastructure for the type and volume of workload anticipated and are subject to periodic inspections to ensure compliance. There are other laws pertaining to governing to the qualification/practice and conduct of professionals, sale, storage of drugs and safe medication, management of patients, environmental safety, employment and management of manpower, medicolegal aspects and laws pertaining to safety of patients, public and staff within the hospital premises. There are laws governing professional training and research, business aspects, licences/certifications required for hospitals, etc. A hospital administrator should be aware about all these laws, regulations, policies, procedures, reports and returns and keep abreast with the latest amendments to be on the safe side of law and provide quality care to the patients. How to cite this article Singh MM, Garg US, Arora P. Laws Applicable to Medical Practice and Hospitals in India. Int J Res Foundation Hosp Healthc Adm 2013;1(1):19-24.