Moral and prudential considerations in adopting electronic medical records
Phillips, W.; Fleming, D.A.
Missouri Medicine 107(4): 234-239
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-6620 PMID: 20806832 Document Number: 641814
One might argue that beneficence entails a moral obligation for health care providers and systems to adopt electronic medical records (EMR). But this argument is thwarted because EMR systems are currently not required to meet existing standards of care for health care services. Yet using EMR systems may still be prudent if benefits of adoption significantly outweigh burdens. Future moral questions regarding EMR systems will shift from obligations of adoption to that of proper use.