Discussão ética sobre o prontuário eletrônico do paciente

Abstract

Electronic Medical Records serve as a fundamental tool in the healthcare service and may be defined as standardized and organized records featuring all the information on a patient’s medical history since birth. Due to technological developments, the first Electronic Medical Records were created in the 1970s in order to computerize records in the healthcare field. Bibliographical research was carried out in order to discuss aspects of electronic medical records, especially concerning their ethical dimensions. Technological improvements should be considered in a more critical way, since there may be unforeseen consequences related to their use, especially related to the doctor-patient relationship. Despite technology’s importance in improving healthcare services, care and respect should always be of priority and personal interests should be avoided. An analysis that highlights only the technical aspects of Electronic Medical Records is therefore insufficient to answer all the questions that might arise, with ethical concepts perhaps playing a role in answering such questions.