What is defined as a failure by a health professional to meet accepted standards?

The correct answer, which identifies the failure by a health professional to meet accepted standards, is malpractice. This term is specifically used in the legal and medical fields to denote a situation where a healthcare provider deviates from the standards of care that are expected in their profession, resulting in harm or injury to the patient. Malpractice typically involves elements such as a duty of care, breach of that duty, harm caused, and a direct link between the breach and the harm.

Liability refers to the legal responsibility that a professional or entity holds for their actions or omissions, which could stem from malpractice but doesn't specifically refer to the failure itself. Negligence indicates a lack of proper care but may not necessarily reach the threshold of malpractice unless it also involves a violation of standards of care. Authorization generally pertains to consent and permission, which is not relevant to the concept of failing to meet accepted professional standards.