Protecting Patient Privacy: A Suggested Framework for Deploying Extended Reality Technologies

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Technology
• Cybersecurity

Background:

• Extended reality (XR) devices are increasingly used in healthcare settings.
• Traditional IT security measures may not adequately protect sensitive patient data accessed or processed by XR technologies.
• Potential for protected health information (PHI) disclosure exists through XR visual displays, audio capture, and data management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide recommendations for protecting patient privacy in clinical settings utilizing XR.
• To address the emerging challenges of XR technology adoption in healthcare.
• To emphasize the need for proactive compliance and safeguard development.

Main Methods:

• Commentary and recommendation development.
• Analysis of potential PHI disclosure risks associated with XR devices.
• Review of current IT security limitations in the context of XR.

Main Results:

• XR devices pose unique risks to patient privacy beyond traditional IT security.
• Specific vulnerabilities include visual, audio, and data processing aspects of XR.
• Proactive development of guidelines is necessary to mitigate these risks.

Conclusions:

• Clear guidelines are essential for the safe and effective use of XR in healthcare.
• Addressing XR privacy concerns proactively is critical for successful technology adoption.
• Failure to implement proper safeguards could erode patient trust and limit XR's healthcare potential.