Chapter Overview
The development of modern bioethics has been strongly influenced by technology. Important ethical questions surround the use of electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, internet-based consumer health information, outcome measurement, and data mining. Electronic health records are changing the way health information is managed, but implementation is a difficult task in which social and cultural issues must be addressed. Advice produced by decision support systems must be understood and acted upon in the context of the overall goals and values of health care. Empowering health care consumers through readily-available health information is a valuable use of the internet, but the nature of the internet environment raises the spectre of abuse of vulnerable patients. Outcome studies have inherent value judgments that may be hidden. Data mining may impact confidentiality or lead to discrimination by identifying subgroups. All of these issues, and others, require careful examination as more and more health information is captured electronically.
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Winkelstein, P.S. (2005). Ethical and Social Challenges of Electronic Health Information. In: Chen, H., Fuller, S.S., Friedman, C., Hersh, W. (eds) Medical Informatics. Integrated Series in Information Systems, vol 8. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-25739-X_5
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