MANCHESTER DECLARATION
Balance – TRAINING – Choice
E-Doctor Science Debate @ ESOF 2016
Organized by EUSJA & TELI
The ESOF Science Debate on edoctors and the question of trust can be summarized by three keywords: comprehension, knowledge, and education. To effectively weigh the benefits and drawbacks, it is crucial to enhance our understanding of electronic health. This necessitates comprehensive training and education, empowering Europe’s citizenry to make informed decisions in the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare. Implementing cutting-edge healthcare talent management software can play a pivotal role in facilitating this process, ensuring that professionals receive the necessary training and skill development to navigate this innovative field with confidence. With a well-equipped workforce, the healthcare industry can embrace the potential of edoctors while addressing concerns surrounding trust and efficacy.
To reach this assessment, the session had started out with impulses and testimonials of experts and stakeholders, across the board, from health professionals, therapists and selfhelp representatives, sceptics, ethicists and philosophers. The presented pros and cons such as:
More precise and faster diagnoses as a result of improved data analysis and better access to data, efficient monitoring of the patients with smart phones, improving the condition of mental health patients by means of helpful biofeedback; but also, on the dark side, risks about the deterioration of personal contact and confidence between doctors and patients, confusion and misinformation along with data insecurity and loss of solidarity.
Groups around roundtables were formed to discuss the concerns. One of the main recommendations was that all stakeholders should be better informed and trained. This empowers them to take advantage of the opportunities, which technology is providing nowadays. This could lead, as a follow-up to joint activities, in which the research community (Information and Communications Technology ICT, Health) and the public can engage.
Also the groups discussed the trust and ethics issues stemming from the use of applications and systems. There were worries about the use of the personal details and heath data from organisations around health institutions (hospitals) and that other affiliated bodies (e.g. insurance companies) could take advantage of them.
A balanced use of these applications as well as platforms are needed. They could help local communities – especially rural and isolated regions – to provide the required health care and blend with traditional ways. Apart from the right balance, people must have a choice, if they want to use this technology or not. Last but not least, they must understand the positive and negative aspects of this choice and consider them in their decision. Again, this can only be realized by more information and training.
The session was organized and moderated by the European Union of Science Journalists’ Associations EUSJA and the German Science Writers TELI. The results are being submitted to the European Commission EC for consideration and implementation. Two years ago at ESOF 2014 Copenhagen, EUSJA and TELI had a similar debate on chances and risks of nano technology, with the favorable response of the EC.
Contributors to the debate:
- Jens Degett, EUSJA President, Copenhagen
- Carl Johan Sundberg, MD, PhD, Lecturer, coordinator Science & Society, Karolinska Inst. Stockholm
- Kay Sundberg, PhD, lecturer, Dept. of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinsky Inst., Stockholm
- Hanns-J. Neubert, EUSJA President emeritus, Science Journalist, Sciencecom, session co-organizer, Hamburg
- Viola Egikova, President Association of Science Writers and Science Journalists INTELLECT, Moscow
- Wolfgang C. Goede, former EUSJA Honorary Secretary, vice president German Science Writers TELI, session co-organizer & moderator, testimonial on behalf of Munich and German Anxiety and Depession Selfhelp Organization MASH/DASH, Munich
- Ilse Furian, Feldenkrais-Instructor, Hamburg
- Réné von Schomberg, PhD, Philosopher, ethics & responsible innovation, European Commission, Brussels
- Menelaos Sotiriou, Science Communicator, Science View, Athens
Links
ESOF Session Abstract ->
http://www.esof.eu/the-programme/event-information/should-we-trust-edoctor.html
Session Report TELI Wissenschaftsdebatte ->
http://www.wissenschaftsdebatte.de/?p=5708
For more balance, information, transparency, see also recommendations of German Health Ministry ->
http://www.bmg.bund.de/ministerium/meldungen/2016/studie-gesundheits-apps.html
Session Video ->
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnc3_7Vcaeo
ESOF 2014, Copenhagen Declaration on Nano Technology ->
https://www.eusja.org/kopenhagen-declaration/