Moral and prudential considerations in adopting electronic medical records.

One might argue that beneficence entails a moral obligation for health care providers and systems to adopt electronic medical records (EMR). But this argument is thwarted because EMR systems are currently not required to meet existing standards of care for health care services. Yet using EMR systems may still be prudent if benefits of adoption significantly outweigh burdens. Future moral questions regarding EMR systems will shift from obligations of adoption to that of proper use.

Ethical concerns in the use of electronic medical records.

The use of electronic medical record systems raises important ethical concerns about patient privacy and confidentiality, medical errors, expectations of structured data entry by clinicians, documentation integrity, and provider-patient interaction. Clinicians and health care organizations need to define best practices and policies in the use of EMR systems to improve quality and maintain clinician efficiency without compromising patient welfare and safety.

Better reproductive healthcare for women with disabilities: a role for nursing leadership.

This paper examines the reproductive healthcare experiences of women with disabilities in the light of commonly accepted principles of biomedical ethics. Recommendations are made for nursing to assume a leadership role in reducing gender and disability inequity in health care.