Laura Kolbe, Ryan H Nelson, Joelle Robertson-Preidler, Olivia Schuman, Inmaculada de Melo-Martín
Author Information
Laura Kolbe: Assistant professor of medicine and assistant clinical ethicist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
Ryan H Nelson: Assistant professor in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Joelle Robertson-Preidler: Clinical ethics fellow in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Olivia Schuman: Postdoctoral clinical ethics fellow and researcher in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Inmaculada de Melo-Martín: Professor of medical ethics at Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University in New York City.
Bodily imagery elicits strong affective responses and is highly salient, potentially altering viewers' decision making. When clinicians engage surrogates in video calls showing the patient's body, several competing ethical issues must be considered. On the one hand, surrogates may require visual information to make informed decisions, and video technology closes crucial information gaps. On the other, video technology puts an increased amount of control in the hands of clinicians over how the patient's condition is perceived. This article explores some situations that can result in manipulation due to the affective impact of bodily images and the potential for selectivity and framing. Focusing on goals of care, the paper outlines the foremost ethical considerations for clinicians and provides recommendations for clinicians on how to reduce possible manipulation when making these video calls.
