Patients, trust and ethics in information privacy in eHealth

Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the health sector (eHealth) is a natural progression for the digital agenda, and is seen as being of benefit to organisations providing healthcare, the patients receiving healthcare, and the development of the ICT industry. With the likelihood of a growing demand for healthcare, particularly from an increasingly elderly population, using ICT to streamline processes and support practitioners makes sense. However, the challenges faced when remodelling a sector that has traditionally operated through direct face-to-face human contact are significant. While the processes of information management and information flow may be improved from an organisational perspective, the people at the heart of eHealth, i.e. the patients, may not be convinced that such a move will be of benefit to them, even though the traditional face-to-face aspects may not be lost. In this chapter, we take the example of the United Kingdom and focus on the patient in the eHealth environment. We take the position that patient trust and confidence in ICT is important, not only for patient ‘buy-in’ but also to maintain the ethical values that are fundamental to medical practice.

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