Prioritizing human-centered cancer care in a digital era

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Oncology
• Bioethics

Background:

• Digital health tools offer significant potential to enhance cancer care efficiency and quality.
• The impact of these tools on disease-centered versus human-centered care hinges on prioritized values and outcomes.
• Human-centered care emphasizes individual uniqueness, inherent value, and the importance of human relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the prioritization of human-centered care in the development and deployment of digital health tools.
• To explore how design, implementation, and evaluation choices influence human-centered care provision.
• To offer recommendations for integrating human-centered principles into digital health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Review of key ethical frameworks relevant to digital health.
• Analysis of case examples from Brazil, India, and the United States showcasing human-centered digital innovations.
• Development of recommendations for stakeholders.

Main Results:

• Digital health innovations can be designed and implemented to enhance human-centered care.
• Specific design and evaluation choices directly impact the degree to which care is human-centered.
• Patient, caregiver, and community involvement is vital throughout the digital health lifecycle.

Conclusions:

• Prioritizing human-centered care is essential for maximizing the benefits of digital health in oncology.
• Collaborative design and implementation involving diverse stakeholders can foster more equitable and effective digital health solutions.
• Recommendations are provided to guide clinicians, researchers, and health systems in adopting human-centered digital health strategies.