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

As extended reality (XR) devices such as head-mounted displays, augmented reality glasses, computers, tablets, smartphones, and their underlying XR applications become widely deployed in HIPAA-regulated environments, clear guidelines are essential to prevent disclosure of protected health information that traditional health care IT security measures do not adequately address. Without proper safeguards, these technologies could expose sensitive patient data through various means, including visual displays, audio capture, data management, and processing, potentially undermining patient trust. This commentary is meant to provide recommendations in advance of more formal guidelines for protecting patient privacy when XR tools are used in clinical settings. Given the emerging nature of these technologies, addressing compliance proactively is crucial to avoid missteps that could undermine adoption and limit the technology's potential in health care.