 technological progress therefore really promise mankind the chance of a longer, healthier life? Or should we be worried that the technology will be misused? However, risks and side effects cannot be ruled out when it comes to the digital future of medicine.
… and the risks
Despite all of the advantages, we cannot lose sight of the risks associated with the digitalization of the healthcare sector.
1Farewell to privacy?
Health is a private matter. Our health data accompanies us throughout our lives and is not interchangeable. None of us would want it to influence employers’ staffing decisions or be used by insurance companies to calculate their premiums, so it must be clearly regulated who is allowed to access which data – and who isn’t. This is a task for companies and, above all, for legislators.
2Hacker attacks on our health?
Health data is valuable. Hackers can steal sensitive data and hold the victims to ransom. They can also put people’s lives at risk by paralyzing the infrastructure of hospitals or medical practices. When developing new health system technologies, it is therefore vital to include effective IT security solutions in the planning from the outset.
3Is technology infallible?
To err is human, as the saying goes, which means artificial intelligence is not infallible either. Algorithms learn using the data provided and recognize patterns in this data. The quality of the algorithm’s results ultimately depends on how it is trained – by humans. The criteria based on which algorithms make decisions must therefore meet ethical and legal requirements.
4Do robots make you lonely?
No machine can replace human contact, and such contact is particularly important to people who are old or sick. Consequently, robots can complement doctors, nurses, and carers, but not replace them. Clear rules are required for their use to ensure technical progress does not exacerbate the problem of loneliness.
This entails a number of basic prerequisites
1Discussing ethical issues
How much digitalization do we want to allow in the health sector? How can we ensure the focus is always on human well-being? Questions of this kind need to be discussed in a wide social dialog and joint solutions found.
2Breaking down technical barriers
The prerequisites in this case are an extensive high-performance network infrastructure and cutting-edge technology in both health care institutions and private households.
Everyone has the right to protection of their personal data. This must be ensured – and not only with technological means. We need legal conditions that minimize the risk of data misuse without impeding progress.
4Building up expertise
Innovative technologies can only realize their full potential if all users handle them correctly. Medical staff in particular must be given comprehensive training on the use of new technologies.
We need to talk about exactly what digital responsibility can look like. No one individual can decree it – no one company, no one institution, no one government. We can only develop digital responsibility together. Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges
Right into the living room
“Your vitals are fine. You don’t need to worry.” Karin Müller is relieved about the good news from her family doctor. She signs off and switches off the tablet PC. That’s because she’s sitting in her living room and has just had a video chat with her doctor.
The future is now
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic brought public life to a virtual standstill for weeks on end. In some areas, however, the virus made things move faster, and that includes the digitalization of the health care system. According to a study conducted in spring 2020 by the Health Innovation Hub of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health and the Public Health Foundation, 52.3 percent of doctors surveyed offered video consultations. This compares with a figure of just 1.8 percent in 2017. Psychotherapists, physicians in private practice, and general practitioners are making particular use of such consultations.
For the benefit of patients
“Online house calls” save patients long trips