Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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ORDINARY CARE

The basic medical care that a physician is obliged to give in treating all cases that come under his or her charge. The fact that the patient is a mental defective or being treated out of charity does not justify the doctor in being hasty or slipshod. the doctor must always use the safer remedy. If there is a sure remedy available, he or she may not try uncertain ones on a patient with the danger of causing death or serious injury to health, even though the patient gave permission to do so. If there is no safer remedy available, the doctor may, in cases where death would otherwise result, employ such uncertain remedies, for then he or she is doing everything possible to save the patient.