ETHICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF TELEMEDICINE APPLIED IN ORTHOPEDICS

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Health Informatics
• Medical Law

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted outpatient services, necessitating innovative healthcare delivery models.
• Telemedicine emerged as a critical solution, enabling continued patient treatment and follow-up across various specialties.
• Tele-orthopedics specifically addresses the need for remote orthopedic care, overcoming geographical barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of the legal and ethical considerations in telemedicine, with a specific focus on tele-orthopedics.
• To synthesize fragmented information regarding the regulatory landscape of remote healthcare services.
• To guide orthopedic surgeons in navigating the ethical and legal requirements of teleconsultations.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing information on telemedicine, legal, and ethical aspects.
• Analysis of ethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice) in the context of tele-orthopedics.
• Examination of privacy and confidentiality requirements in remote patient consultations.

Main Results:

• Tele-orthopedics enhances patient satisfaction by reducing travel, wait times, and costs.
• It improves rehabilitation effectiveness post-surgery and promotes treatment compliance.
• Adherence to ethical principles and data privacy is crucial for successful tele-orthopedics implementation.

Conclusions:

• Orthopedic surgeons must uphold traditional ethical standards while adapting to new telemedicine regulations.
• Telemedicine, including tele-orthopedics, is vital for accessible and effective patient care.
• Compliance with legal frameworks ensures patient safety and trust in remote healthcare services.