Telehealth-delivered care

Sample Answer

Telehealth has revolutionized healthcare delivery, but it introduces unique ethical challenges that differ significantly from traditional in-person care. For the Advanced Practice Nurse or nurse leader, these issues often revolve around the digital divide and the maintenance of professional boundaries.Telehealth has revolutionized healthcare delivery, but it introduces unique ethical challenges that differ significantly from traditional in-person care. For the Advanced Practice Nurse or nurse leader, these issues often revolve around the digital divide and the maintenance of professional boundaries.

Justice and the Digital Divide (Equity of Access)

The ethical principle of Justice dictates that all patients should have equal access to healthcare resources. Telehealth, however, can inadvertently create a "two-tiered" system.

The Issue: Patients in rural areas (like those in our EcoRide or HIE case studies) or those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may lack high-speed internet, smartphones, or the "digital literacy" required to navigate telehealth platforms.

Ethical Concern: If an organization moves predominantly to telehealth to save costs, they may be effectively "abandoning" vulnerable populations who cannot access digital care. This creates a disparity where the wealthy receive convenient, tech-enabled care while the poor face increased barriers to entry.