Impact of Technology on Patient Autonomy

The integration of technology into healthcare has revolutionized patient care, offering advanced tools such as remote monitoring, AI-assisted diagnostics, and smart health devices that promote efficiency, safety, and patient empowerment. While these technologies enhance patient autonomy by enabling self-monitoring and informed choices, they also present significant ethical challenges. Issues of data privacy, informed consent, therapeutic relationship erosion, and uneven access to physician oversight threaten to undermine true autonomy, particularly among vulnerable populations. This paper examines the multidimensional effects of technology on patient autonomy through historical, ethical, and socio-political lenses. Drawing on case studies and current policy debates, it analyzes how technological advancements shift agency from patient to device, creating moral hazards and inequities. The discussion highlights the urgent need for a balanced framework where technological empowerment coexists with ethical safeguards to ensure that autonomy remains a cornerstone of patient-centered care in the digital age. Keywords: Patient autonomy, Healthcare technology, Smart health devices, Informed consent, Digital ethics, Patient empowerment, AI in medicine, Therapeutic relationships.