IS THERE A TECHNOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE IN HEALTH CARE?

Abstract

The question in the title will be addressed by first answering the question: What is a technological imperative? A review of the literature makes it clear that there are many descriptions and explanations of the technological imperative in health care, and that not all of them are important to consider. One conception of the technological imperative that is important is the one that implies that technology reduces our responsibility toward our actions. I argue that that this conception cannot be justified. That is, there is no imperative that frees us from our responsibility for developing, producing, advertising, assessing, implementing, using, and banishing technology in health care. On the contrary, the increased possibilities provided by technology result in an increased responsibility. That is, there is no technological imperative, but technology promotes a moral imperative; in particular, it promotes a moral imperative to proper assessment.