Bioethical and judicial aspects of digital medicine: the dilemma of virtual encounters

Abstract

The massive use of new Information and Communication Technologies, particularly the use of smartphones, is impacting on clinical relationships. Recent surveys show that in some medical specialties almost 80% of doctors answered that they use social networks, especially WhatsApp to communicate with patients. Medical consultations “online” in social networks are increasingly frequent. Despite the advantages this virtual communication between physicians and patients may offer, there are ethical and legal risks, threats of dehumanization and compromising the safety of the patient, such as privacy violations, depersonalization, impoverishment of the language and the clinics, interpretation and typing errors, among others. This paper reflects on the best ways to integrate medicine based on the narrative with digital medicine. Faced with the void of legal regulation, a series of ethical-legal recommendations are offered to prevent damages and claims for virtual medical care.