medicolegal /med′ikōlē″gəl/ [L, medicina, art of healing, lex, law] , pertaining to both medicine and law. Medicolegal considerations are a significant part of the process of making many patient care decisions and determining definitions and policies for the treatment of mentally incompetent patients and minors, for the performance of sterilization or therapeutic abortion, and for the care of terminally ill patients. Medicolegal considerations, decisions, definitions, and policies provide the framework for informed consent, professional liability, and many other aspects of current practice in the health care field.
