Using Classical Ethical Principles to Guide mHealth Design

摘要

Mobile phones have become ubiquitous global phenomena. A multitude of applications (apps) have been designed to facilitate acquisition and delivery of health-related information via mobile phones. The term “mHealth” pertains to apps designed to improve diagnosis and personalize care. Ethical concepts and constraints impact the design of mHealth applications, and the use of technology in caring science. The nurse informatician, bridging the caring science/technical divide, is perfectly situated to undertake analysis of ethical concerns pertaining to mobile health application design, consistent with the Collaboration standard of practice. The classical medical ethics principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy and justice can be used to address ethical dimensions of mHealth application design. A review of the current literature yielded a substantial number of ethical considerations. Cross-mapping these themes to the classical principles enabled meta-analysis. Avoidance of harm and preservation of patient autonomy emerge as the most pressing design concerns. Privacy, confidentiality, and the alteration of the patient-provider relationship must be carefully evaluated during the design phase, in order to minimize risks and concentrate on providing the greatest benefits without undue ethical conflict. Nursing informaticians are key members of the interdisciplinary team, facilitating communication and collaboration, and can promote adherence to the highest ethical standards.