Telecare legislation priorities: A Delphi study grounded in ethical challenges.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Health Law
• Digital Health

Background:

• Telenursing integration raises ethical and legal questions.
• South Korea lacks a specific legal framework for telecare nursing.
• Challenges include patient rights protection and professional accountability.

Purpose of the Study:

• Support telecare nursing regulatory framework development.
• Identify and prioritize legislative challenges.
• Address professional autonomy and ethical care delivery.

Main Methods:

• Two-round Delphi technique with 12 experts.
• Content analysis of legal documents and guidelines.
• Iterative expert consultation refined 24 legislative statements.

Main Results:

• Eight items achieved consensus: data security, documentation, identity verification, nurse certification, informed consent.
• Seven items lacked feasibility consensus: scope of practice, liability, reimbursement.
• Nine items deemed lower priority; three preparatory tasks identified.

Conclusions:

• Legislative priorities for ethical telecare identified, but implementation faces feasibility gaps.
• Legal frameworks must balance ethical principles with information governance and patient-centeredness.
• Findings guide telecare integration, professional empowerment, and patient trust.