The ban applies to all NT Health clinical sites and prohibits recording, photographing, livestreaming or otherwise capturing patients, clinical interactions or protected information using such devices unless NT Health explicitly approves their use for a legitimate clinical, therapeutic, communication, accessibility, safety or operational purpose and existing standards around patient consent, privacy, and record security and management are met. Bowden informed staff that a review group had identified recording-capable wearables, particularly smart glasses, as an "elevated risk to patient privacy and confidentiality", adding that when staff wear these devices without informing patients it "decreases trust worthiness and can cause distress and unease".
The policy change comes after a medical observer, Dr Neda Mogharehabed, posted images and videos containing confidential medical information of 12 pregnant patients to her Instagram account. It is not suggested she used a smart glass device at Royal Darwin Hospital during her three-day placement. The incident prompted an internal review of NT Health's privacy policies and a pause of the medical observership program. Health Minister Steve Edgington referred the breach to the NT Information Commissioner and NT Police for investigation.
Bowden acknowledged that technology can improve patient care but stressed that patient consent must come first. The medical observer review group will also examine "the impact of emerging technology and privacy from a whole of government perspective".
The Australian Medical Association's NT branch supported the decision. Vice-president Dr Dayna Duncan said privacy and trust are essential for clinical work: "Privacy and trust within the health profession is essential for us to be able to do our jobs; we can't make decisions clinically, diagnose and treat disease if we don't have all the information about patients, and patients can't give us the information if they don't feel safe and comfortable to do so." She also said it was a good thing NT Health had been clear about the policy. She added that as new technology emerges it will be important to make case-by-case assessments, which may lead to bans in some cases and integration into clinical care in others.