CHAPTER 2 ETHICS OF DIGITAL HEALTH ADAPTED TO THE CARE OF THE DISABLED

Abstract

The objective of this article is to identify ethical recommendations for the deployment of Digital Health in the field of disability. The description of the pioneer years of telemedicine is completed by some figures on disability in France to identify the general context that presides over the foreseeable deployment in the coming years. This deployment is accelerating, boosted by the COVID 19 pandemic, taking into account all the potential of digital technology. In this context, disability has been the poor relation for many years, characterized by numerous obstacles in access to care, as pointed out by multiple reports. The pragmatic response that we suggest at the territorial level involves first of all identifying the needs of disabled people. The analysis will be centered on a population of 57 candidates for admission to a shared housing facility known as inclusive by the Simon de Cyrène association in Rungis. 53% of the candidates were admitted, their profile is described, and we suggest integrating digital tools into the organization of care by taking into account the specificity of the needs and the context of the facility. This framework gives the opportunity to propose ethical recommendations. Candidates who are not admitted must also have access to care, whether they reside in specialized homes, hostels or hospital services. From an ethical perspective, we must ensure that we provide equitable access to care. In practice, the analysis carried out in this study shows the interest of having and applying in Digital Health a charter between the applicants and the required, pivotal or proximity hospital, in the respect of fair care for a population whose deficit of access to care has been widely noted. Ethical recommendations are a key point in this context.