Digital healthcare, which provides medical services using information and
communication technology (ICT), is emerging as a new paradigm, replacing
traditional methods of healthcare. This study investigates research trends in
digital healthcare through an analysis of studies published in South Korea on
the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of digital healthcare. To
this end, a total of 471 articles drawn from Korean academic journals in the
humanities, law, and social sciences, were selected as research subjects, and
the current status, characteristics, and research tasks were identified. The
results show that Korean ELSI research on digital healthcare emerged about 20
years ago and has steadily increased, with in-depth analyses of various
sub-topics such as telemedicine, big data, artificial intelligence, wearable
devices, and digital therapeutics. Additionally, notable differences were found
among studies in the three fields examined concerning research purposes,
methods, and major findings. This study comprehensively reviews the research
outcomes of studies in each academic field and proposes future tasks for ELSI
research.