[Ethics of (big) data applications in psychiatric practice]

Due to rapid digitalization, an increasing amount of data is available in healthcare settings; big data and artificial intelligence (AI) have also made their appearance.

To provide insight into various ethical dilemmas that need to be considered when applying big data in clinical practice.

Description and analyses of the ethical aspects associated with the use of clinical data in the context of psychiatric care.

Various ethical aspects play a role in four phases; data collection, analysis, dissemination and application of results. In order to use clinical data and AI in a responsible manner, these aspects must be taken into account.

The use of big data and AI in healthcare should aim to stimulate learning and improving care together with patients and professionals. Big data and AI should not be seen as the holy grail, but as a supporting tool in healthcare - a field in which many of the aspects that play a role in clinical care cannot be converted into measurable data.