Do you want to have an impact on moral issues raised by the deployment of new digital health technologies by healthcare providers and patients? Do you want to be a part of a leading European school and build your own team as professor in Digital Health Ethics? Then we might have an opportunity for you.

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM), part of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), is a leading European school in health policy and management, with strong presence in health economics and health services and systems research.

In partnership with Erasmus Medical Centre and Erasmus School of Philosophy we are now recruiting a new:

Professor of Health Ethics in a Technological Society (1,0 fte)
The position is created through endowed funding from the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG).

Job description
Digital Health Ethics

The specific focus of this Chair is on the particular moral issues raised by the deployment of new digital health technologies by healthcare providers, physicians in particular, and (future) recipients of care (“patients”). This holds for both the individual doctor-patient relationship and the doctor-community relationship. The Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG) has acknowledged these increasing moral issues and the impact of care delivery in transitioning health systems. Therefore, KNMG has initiated this chair to be appointed by Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Digital health technology raises moral questions in relation to each to the identified physician roles. Leading up to 2040, the medical practitioner will become increasingly familiar with eHealth and digital care, AI, and robots. This raises important questions of responsibility, for example: Can practitioners still be fully responsible (and liable!) for their actions if digital health technology becomes an important and partly independent actor? The physician as interpreter (as “human interface”) must coach patients, or communities, by interpreting digital health information, misinformation and disinformation about care and prevention. But where is the line between (neutral) coaching and influencing or nudging? How does the physician remain the “supervisor” of AI (chatbots, predictive algorthms such as PacMed Critical – Discharge) and robots?

Digital health technology also raises questions in relation to patients. If medical technology does indeed become a more or less independent actor, what are the moral implications for patients? Where does their responsibility begin, and where does it end? And, of course, patients are in danger of being exposed to misinformation and disinformation. To what extent are patients themselves responsible as regards the interpretation of health information? New digital health technologies can help people live healthier lives, assist patients in shared decision-making, strengthen their autonomy, and ensure access to better healthcare. But will that be true for everyone? With the integration of advanced digital health technologies into care and prevention, moral questions arise as regards accountability and oversight. Who is responsible if a technology fails or causes harm? Ensuring clear lines of responsibility and accountability is essential for ethical decision-making and patient safety. Professional codes of conduct, regulatory frameworks, and independent oversight can help maintain responsible digital health practices.

Aim of the Chair

• Promoting research, education, and knowledge transfer in digital health ethics, by addressing moral challenges faced by physicians and patients in their respective roles at different levels;
• More specific: Exploring the moral aspects of digital health linked to the roles of the physician and the patient, and integrate them into education, practice and policy. This means the Chair will focus on both the education and practices of those who are (going to be) active in healthcare as physicians, but also as managers, directors, governors and healthcare policy making;
• Building connections between and collaborate with experts at various schools and campuses within the framework of the following guiding Erasmus Initiatives: Dynamics for Inclusive Prosperity, Smarter Choices for Better Health, Vital Cities and Citizens, and the Societal Impact of AI;
• Closely cooperating with the Chair of Law, Healthcare Technology, and Medicine (Amsterdam University Medical Center)
• Combining impact-driven research and teaching (academic excellence) with societal interaction and engagement;
• Building a research group, including Ph.D. candidates, and actively seeking the necessary funding for research.
• Taking into account scientific independence, the Chair will also establish connections with the KNMG. This collaboration can take various forms, such as contributing to development of policies and guidelines for doctors regarding ethical aspects of digital health technology; advising on concrete ethical questions regarding the use of digital health technology by practicing doctors; and regular and structural consultation between the Chair and the ethics department of the KNMG.

• Fulltime academic with a PhD (> 5 years) in biomedical ethics;
• Solid international scientific track record in digital health ethics, as indicated by scientific publications in reputable international peer-reviewed journals, keynotes at international scientific conferences, successful grant applications and relevant international collaborations;
• Being able to oversee the Digital Health Ethics field and make connections with various disciplines;
• Extensive teaching experience, including teaching qualifications, to both students and medical practitioners.
• Good command of the Dutch language
• Embracing the Erasmian Values of diversity, social safety and inclusiveness.

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position shall be determined by mutual agreement.

You will be based in Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM). This position is for 0.8 fte - 1 fte FTE. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 6.648 to a maximum of € 9.680 gross per month (scale Scale Professor 2) on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The contract is entered into for the duration of (contractduur) and can be converted into a permanent contract if performance is good and the organizational circumstances remain unchanged.

Everything else we offer you, you can find below!

• Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre!
• Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME, QuEUR, or Young Erasmus Academy.
• Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget, foreign exchange opportunities with most costs paid by EUR, and free access to our university library.
• Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.
• Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare.
• Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM)
Thanks to its degree programmes and research activities, which focus on policy- and management-related topics in healthcare, ESHPM is a leading institute in the Netherlands. ESHPM combines various academic disciplines, such as economics, law, socio-medical sciences, organisation science and public administration. This multidisciplinary approach to teaching and research is unique, as are our close ties to policymakers and people working in the healthcare industry.

ESHPM is situated in the Bayle Building on Erasmus University Rotterdam’s Woudestein Campus, and has close ties with Erasmus Medical Centre. Some 1,600 students attend ESHPM, and the faculty has some 200 employees. ESHPM is very much in favour of internationalisation.