The development of technologies for the healthcare industry creates both opportunity and significant risk. Technology aids in patient and physician communication, retrieval and storage of data, patient monitoring and diagnosis, even surgical precision and research breakthroughs. Just as technology assists in improved healthcare delivery, it also presents serious risks to confidentiality, privacy, accessibility, governance, and compliance.
Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into technology, which facilitates a smart device’s ability to analyze, learn, act, and communicate. This technological revolution can improve healthcare with efficiency and problem-solving, but it also introduces new and complex compliance problems.
Healthcare Technology: An Analysis of Smart Glasses
Smart glasses, the next wave of the smart technology revolution, are quickly emerging as a transformative method of technology in healthcare.[1] In an industry continuously aiming to streamline patient care and reduce burden on professionals, smart glasses offer solutions such as hands-free access to data, real-time collaboration, and enhanced training opportunities. As with many smart technologies, however, their use can introduce significant privacy and compliance challenges. This article explores the pros and cons, compliance risks, and recommendations for healthcare systems to help implement safeguards and best practices when adopting the use of smart glasses. The insights can also be applied to other emerging healthcare technologies.
Innovation is here. Is your organization ready?
Benefits of Smart Glasses in Healthcare
First introduced in 2013 with limited applicability and quickly evolving since then, smart glasses offer several advantages that can significantly improve clinical workflows and patient care:
Clinical Efficiency
One of the most notable benefits of smart glasses use is enhanced clinical efficiency. Many types of smart glasses have the ability to integrate with electronic health records, which allows hands-free access to patient charts, imaging, and real-time data during procedures. This reduces workflow interruptions and allows providers to focus on delivering care without constantly switching between devices.
Collaboration
Another key advantage is improved collaboration. As connected clinical devices, smart glasses enable virtual, remote consultations with specialists, allowing clinicians to receive real-time guidance during surgeries or complex procedures. This capability fosters better decision-making and supports multidisciplinary care.
Training
Smart glasses also play an important role in training and education. They allow livestreaming of procedures for medical education and incorporate augmented reality overlays to teach topics such as anatomy or surgical techniques. This technology provides students and trainees with immersive learning experiences that traditional methods cannot match.
Documentation
Lastly, smart glasses support accurate documentation practices. With voice-activated notetaking and video recording features, clinicians can capture detailed records without interrupting patient interactions. This functionality helps maintain accuracy and completeness, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, and improves the quality of documentation for future reference.
Drawbacks and Risks of Smart Glasses in Healthcare
While smart glasses offer promising benefits, their use in healthcare settings also introduces significant challenges that must be addressed in advance. If not managed appropriately, this technology can affect patient comfort, disrupt workflow operations, and undermine trust.
Privacy
Privacy concerns represent one of the most significant drawbacks of smart glasses because the devices can make patients and staff feel exposed or monitored, even when no recording is taking place. The possibility that PHI could be inadvertently captured can disrupt the care experience, create hesitation in clinical interactions, and undermine the sense of safety and confidentiality that patients expect in a healthcare setting.
Cybersecurity, Trust, and Consent
Another critical issue is cybersecurity vulnerabilities, which pose a high-level operational risk. Like any digital device, smart glasses have the potential to be hacked, accessed remotely, or connected to unsecure networks. Any of these conditions can lead to a cyber breach, which could cause sensitive information to be collected by cyber criminals. The potential for a cyber breach can lead to low confidence in the technology, and the organization’s security posture will be affected.
Further, the use of smart glasses can also impact patient trust. Patients may feel uncomfortable or perceive the technology as intrusive, especially if they are unsure whether they are being recorded and, if so, how data will be used. Similarly, trust issues may arise when clinicians suspect patients or visitors might be using smart glasses to record interactions without consent. If these potential concerns are not addressed, they can create discomfort and distrust within the provider-patient relationship.
Resource Allocation
Operational challenges with the use of smart glasses must be addressed. Implementing smart glasses requires significant investment, integration with existing systems, and ongoing staff training. Healthcare organizations must also allocate resources for IT support and maintenance, which can add complexity and cost.
Focus on Compliance Risks
While many compliance risks stem from the same underlying drawbacks described above, they differ in that they reflect formal obligations under HIPAA, organizational policy, state-specific privacy laws, and federal expectations articulated in the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) compliance program guidance, rather than operational or cultural challenges. As noted below, the use of smart glasses introduces several compliance challenges that organizations must also address.
Authorization
One of the most significant compliance risks of using smart glasses involves HIPAA violations, which can occur if PHI is captured or shared without authorization. Even inadvertent recordings can lead to serious regulatory consequences.
Consent
Another critical compliance concern is consent. In most clinical environments, healthcare providers must obtain explicit patient consent before using smart glasses to record or stream any interaction. Failure to do so not only violates privacy laws but also undermines patient trust. Organizations should also be very familiar with state laws regarding one- and two-party consent for recording conversations and potential employment law implications.
Data Security
Data security is another major compliance risk posed by the use of technology. If PHI is gathered and stored on unsecured platforms or transmitted over noncompliant networks, the organization is exposed to potential breaches, regulatory penalties, and reputational harm. This risk is compounded when devices lack encryption or proper access controls.
Governance
Organizations also face risks associated with regulatory noncompliance if they fail to implement clear policies and safeguards governing the use of smart glasses and other technologies. Without structured guidelines, staff may unintentionally misuse these devices, creating vulnerabilities.
Inadvertent Breach
Additionally, patient use of smart glasses presents a unique compliance challenge. Patients or visitors wearing smart glasses can inadvertently record other patients, staff, or sensitive information. Such recordings can result in significant privacy issues, HIPAA violations, reputational damage, and even legal liability for the healthcare organization due to inadvertent breaches.
Compliance Recommendations for Healthcare Organizations
To minimize compliance risks and ensure responsible use of smart glasses and other technologies in healthcare settings, organizations should implement the following best practices:
Develop Clear Policies
- Define acceptable and prohibited uses of smart glasses; require documented patient consent for any recording or streaming.
Implement Technical Safeguards
- Encrypt all data captured by smart glasses; restrict connectivity to secure, organization-approved networks.
Provide Training and Awareness
- Require mandatory HIPAA and cybersecurity training for all users; educate staff regularly on patient communication regarding smart glasses use; report privacy incidents promptly for investigation and appropriate action.
Conduct Monitoring and Auditing
- Conduct regular audits of device usage and data storage practices; establish incident reporting and investigation protocols for suspected breaches.
Establish Visitor and Patient Restrictions
- Prohibit smart glasses use by patients and visitors; post clear signage at entrances and waiting areas.
Smart glasses, like other digital health tools, offer exciting opportunities for innovation in healthcare, but their use must be carefully managed to protect patient privacy and comply with regulations. By implementing robust policies, technical safeguards, staff training, and strong patient communication, healthcare organizations can leverage the benefits of technologies while minimizing compliance risks.
PYA Can Help
PYA’s team of healthcare compliance professionals is ready to help you update your compliance program and related policies and procedures to address the impact of healthcare technologies.
