Ethics and Information Technology

Advances in information technology have yielded significant improvements in the healthcare system for physicians and for their patients. However, in addition to these benefits, there are ethical issues and challenges that must be recognized and addressed. Electronic medical records improve efficiency and potentially increase safety but greatly increase the likelihood that sensitive health information will be compromised. Modern communication technology has the potential to improve the accuracy and timeliness of communication between providers and patients but creates risks that are largely absent from a face-to-face conversation. Advances in oncology research have been realized in part due to advances in technology. Learning healthcare systems have proven that there are opportunities to improve patient care by leveraging data contained in electronic medical records. However, with respect to both research and patient care, there are complex ethical issues regarding the sharing of health data that must be addressed and ultimately resolved to realize our nation’s goal of eliminating cancer.