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Relational Ethics in Medical Technologies and Digital Health – a Person-Centred Analysis. Passed

Wednesday May 15, 2024 11:15 - 11:27 G1

Moderator: Inger Ekman
Presenter: David Edvardsson

Track: Theoretical Perspectives

Health care organisations globally are developing and implementing digital health services in a systemic shift towards medical technologies and digital care. Digital health has been defined as any application of information and communication technologies to improve healthcare and health outcomes, and the current emergence of medical technologies moves rapidly and broadly across clinical specialties. The concept and application of ethics and person-centredness in such digital medical technology is surprisingly absent from scholarly and clinical debate. For example, Martin Buber suggests relational ethics in terms of I-it relationships or I-thou relationships. Firstly, I-it relationships refers to objectifying, distant and instrumental ways of relating to others, and indicates partial, pragmatic or partial interactions where “it” remains the object for I. Secondly, I-thou denotes a more person-centred and relational ethics where oneself and the other have encounters that are mutual, reciprocal, equivalent and dialogical where the I engage personally with the thou. Such relational ethics also emerges in the GPCC theoretical framework where the patient’s story, forming a partnership and using narratives for documentation are key.  I-thou relationships can develop when we conceptualize, describe and act towards others in terms of who they are rather than what they are, when encounters are close and personal instead of distant and professional. As medical technology and digital health services influence relationships in particular ways, there is a need to further analyse, highlight and critically discuss the ethics and person-centredness in such applications, particularly for older adults. This paper will contribute with such a critical analysis of relational ethics and person-centredness in the context of medical technologies and digital health.  

Language

English

Seminar type

Pre-recorded + On-site

Conference

GCPCC

Authors

David Edvardsson, Riitta Suhonen, Minna Stolt

Lecturers

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Inger Ekman Moderator

Senior professor, Institutionen för vårdvetenskap och hälsa, Centrum för personcentrerad vård (GPCC), Göteborgs universitet
University of Gothenburg

Senior professor
Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Medicine, Geriatrics and Emergency Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Inger Ekman is the former director and founder of the University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC) www.gpcc.gu.se. Over eight years, she held the position of head of the Institute of Health and Care Sciences. Additionally, she has served as vice dean at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Between 2013 and 2015, she coordinated a 7th FP EU project, resulting in a roadmap for future health care in Europe. From 2016 - 2020, she was the coordinator for COSTCARES, a European initiative focused on evaluating person-centred care, with 28 partner countries. Inger holds the title of Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), in addition to being the recipient of the Sigma Teta Tau European Nursing Recognition Award and the Carl-Axel Palm Research Award. The primary focus of her research has been on controlled studies evaluating interventions for person-centred care. She has approximately 170 publications in scientific journals. Currently, she is the primary investigator in a randomized controlled trial that assesses remote person-centred care in frail elderly.

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David Edvardsson Presenter

Professor
La Trobe University, GPCC, Gothenburg University

Professor Edvardsson is a recognized international authority in research across care sciences, health promotion and population health, ageing and dementia. He has a strong research track record as evidenced by a Scopus h-index of 44, based on 176 documents and 41 507 citations (February 14, 2024). Prof Edvardsson has a PhD in nursing and medical sciences from the University of Umea, Sweden, has a Master of Nursing Research and a Bachelor of Nursing, as well as currently undertaking a Master of Business Administration at La Trobe University (MBA). His ongoing scientific research is located across five themes: Health-promotion, care and support for older people: Global and population health, ill-health and burden of disease: Developing positive health outcome measures and health-promoting interventions: Person-centred care, health and quality of life: Health-promoting environments. Health-promotion, care and support for older people.