Ethical Implications of the Electronic Health Record: In the Service of the Patient

American College of Physicians Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

67 Scopus citations

Abstract

Electronic health records (EHRs) provide benefits for patients, physicians, and clinical teams, but also raise ethical questions. Navigating how to provide care in the digital age requires an assessment of the impact of the EHR on patient care and the patient–physician relationship. EHRs should facilitate patient care and, as an essential component of that care, support the patient–physician relationship. Billing, regulatory, research, documentation, and administrative functions determined by the operational requirements of health care systems, payers, and others have resulted in EHRs that are better able to satisfy such external functions than to ensure that patient care needs are met. The profession has a responsibility to identify and address this mismatch. This position paper by the American College of Physicians (ACP) Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee does not address EHR design, user variability, meaningful use, or coding requirements and other government and payer mandates per se; these issues are discussed in detail in ACP’s Clinical Documentation policy. This paper focuses on EHRs and the patient–physician relationship and patient care; patient autonomy, privacy and confidentiality; and professionalism, clinical reasoning and training. It explores emerging ethical challenges and concerns for and raised by physicians across the professional lifespan, whose ongoing input is crucial to the development and use of information technology that truly serves patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)935-939
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine
Volume32
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Ethical Implications of the Electronic Health Record: In the Service of the Patient'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this