Legally eHealth

Abstract

The opportunities offered by e-health to decrease risks linked to medical profession need to face with emerging legal risks. Shared decision making process via electronic instruments, e-prescribing, e-genetics offers a new landscape for patient-doctor relationship. In legal arena e-liability and e-discovery issues open a new scenario in courts for health professionals. From the patient point of view, issues of security and privacy with electronic information and communication are the most common concerns. The need is to combine a personal approach to healthcare service delivery in the era of technology. In cross-border healthcare, interoperability and centralization, respectful of privacy and confidentiality, are essential. Nevertheless, differences in legal standard, in standard of care and in malpractice liability systems affect the cross-border e-health, arising the need of harmonization.