The Ethics of Trust in Telemedicine

Abstract

The ethical use of technology in the delivery of healthcare is essential to it having a positive impact on those receiving care. In telemedicine, the practice of caring for patients remotely using video conferencing and other telecommunications technology, there is a greater reliance on technology than in-person medical care, and the role of ethics in its use accordingly presents even greater demands. In this paper, we discuss telemedicine, laying bare the inextricable link between trust and ethics and show how different kinds of trust are indispensable to this mode of caring for patients. We address this topic now, in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, because of the prevalence of telemedicine and the consequent need for healthcare providers and recipients alike to be more aware of the ethical obligations associated with its use.