Product Liability: In the event of a defective component or of an entire VR headset system. The manufacturer may be liable for damages.
Solution: To eliminate or reduce the probability of a defective product, there must be thorough testing to ensure product quality. This includes usability testing, safety testing, and reliability testing.
Professional Liability: If a medical professional's actions result in harm to the patients due to negligence or malpractice the company may be held liable. This is because this system is intended to be used for diagnostics and treatment procedures.
Solution: There must be thorough product training for professionals who will be working with the device. They should have an understanding of proper usage, troubleshooting, maintenance, and potential risks. Another is to offer ongoing education and training opportunities to professionals to ensure best practices and that professionals are informed of any updates. Aside from training, there should be technical support and assistance available to address any challenges.
Cybersecurity Liability: This system would contain the personal information of patients and if the system is vulnerable to cyberattacks or data breaches the company can face liability for not adequately protecting user data.
Solution: Strong security measures should be implemented such as encryption, access controls, intrusion detection, and regular security updates. Aside from strong security, there needs to be an effective incident response plan. There should be procedures for detecting, containing, investigating, and recovering from security breaches to minimize their effect.
Dependency Liability: Over-reliance on the VR headset system could potentially lead to skill degradation in healthcare professionals, making them overly dependent on technology for diagnosis or treatment, which could be detrimental in situations where the technology might fail or be unavailable.
Solution: Encourage and maintain traditional skills and judgment in conjunction with VR technology. The VR system should be positioned as a tool to enhance, not replace, the professional judgment and skills of healthcare providers.