Palliative Care and new technologies. The use of smart sensor technologies and its impact on the Total Care principle

Ott T, Heckel M, Öhl N, Steigleder T, Albrecht N, Ostgathe C, Dabrock P (2023)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

BMC Palliative Care BioMed Central

DOI: 10.1186/s12904-023-01174-9

Open Access Link: https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-023-01174-9

Abstract

Background  Palliative care is an integral part of health care, which in term has become increasingly technologized in recent decades. Lately, innovative smart sensors combined with artificial intelligence promise better diagnosis and treatment. But to date, it is unclear: how are palliative care concepts and their underlying assumptions about humans challenged by smart sensor technologies (SST) and how can care benefit from SST?

Aims  The paper aims to identify changes and challenges in palliative care due to the use of SST. In addition, normative guiding criteria for the use of SST are developed.

Methods  The principle of Total Care used by the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) forms the basis for the ethical analysis. Drawing on this, its underlying conceptions of the human and its socio-ethical aspects are examined with a phenomenological focus. In the second step, the advantages, limitations, and socio-ethical challenges of using SST with respect to the Total Care principle are explored. Finally, ethical-normative requirements for the application of SST are derived.

Results and Conclusion  First, SST are limited in their measurement capabilities. Second, SST have an impact on human agency and autonomy. This concerns both the patient and the caregiver. Third, some aspects of the Total Care principle are likely to be marginalized due to the use of SST. The paper formulates normative requirements for using SST to serve human flourishing. It unfolds three criteria according to which SST must be aligned: (1) evidence and purposefulness, (2) autonomy, and (3) Total Care.


Authors with CRIS profile

Tabea Ott Lehrstuhl für Systematische Theologie II (Ethik) Maria Heckel Professur für Palliativmedizin Natalie Öhl Department of Palliative Medicine Tobias Steigleder Department of Palliative Medicine Christoph Ostgathe Professur für Palliativmedizin Peter Dabrock Lehrstuhl für Systematische Theologie II (Ethik)

Additional Organisation(s)

Sonderforschungsbereich 1483/1 Empathokinästhetische Sensorik – Sensortechniken und Datenanalyseverfahren zur empathokinästhetischen Modellbildung und Zustandsbestimmung (EmpkinS)

Related research project(s)

Ethische und gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen der empathokinästhetischen Sensorik (SFB 1483 EmpkinS E) Empatho-Kinaesthetic Sensor Technology (SFB 1483 EmpkinS) July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2025

Involved external institutions

Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Ott, T., Heckel, M., Öhl, N., Steigleder, T., Albrecht, N., Ostgathe, C., & Dabrock, P. (2023). Palliative Care and new technologies. The use of smart sensor technologies and its impact on the Total Care principle. BMC Palliative Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01174-9

MLA:

Ott, Tabea, et al. "Palliative Care and new technologies. The use of smart sensor technologies and its impact on the Total Care principle." BMC Palliative Care (2023).

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