After the last several years, we can safely proclaim that the healthcare system has been challenged on multiple levels. Its quality has been diminished and access not guaranteed for everyone. There are more people in need, and less of them being able to afford it. The time is ripe for something new.
On this blog, we talk about fusion of technology and various fields, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to suggest that some solutions (not all), may lie in technical advancements. And since it is not just the care itself that needs an upgrade, in many cases it is getting a diagnosis in the first place, or even getting to talk to a professional that is the issue. The synergy between technology and medicine can help streamline processes and update systems of patient care, diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes. As in any other field, technology creates new dynamics and a wave of transformative solutions.
In this article we will explore how XR can better the situation in healthcare, and introduce new solutions for medical training, telemedicine, rehabilitation and the overall patient experience. It becomes evident that XR is not just an accessory to modern medicine, so let’s delve into the specific domains where XR solutions can make an inroad.
Blending XR and MedTech
The new medical technology (MedTech) is an integral facet of healthcare’s metamorphosis, and draws a new contour of patient care and medical practices. The marriage of XR with MedTech brings the digital world and dynamic visualizations to address even the most unique challenges.
Within this convergence, XR sheds light on the path forward for healthcare with a new dimension of interactivity. It bridges the gap between theory and application, enabling medical students to learn directly on complex anatomies and practitioners to refine their surgical techniques within digital realms. As for access, another contribution of XR is in telemedicine — remote patient consultations, diagnostic collaborations and training endeavors. Digital and immersive tools can only be beneficial in a field with such high requirements for safety and precision, if the solutions are worked through in depth. Whether it’s in training, diagnostics, surgery or therapy.
Medical Training and Education
As mentioned, healthcare strives for precision. XR can be a preeminent force to allow medical students and resident learn surgical training, anatomical exploration and hands-on practice. Aspiring surgeons can work in hyper-realistic operating rooms where they can rehearse complicated procedures, and perfect their craft before getting to real patients. This is to train the tangible skills via:
Surgical simulations — Practicing complex procedures with haptic feedback that replicates real surgical instruments and patient reactions.
Anatomical visualization — Medical students can explore 3D VR reconstructions of the human body through layers of tissue, organs and vessels.
Hands-on practice — VR environments allow to repetitively practice delicate techniques, such as suturing, in a risk-free space. It builds muscle memory and refines skills before actual procedures.
Augmented reality can also add to tangible trainings by:
Interactive anatomy — Digital anatomy can also be presented as an overlay onto physical objects. That can be organs, systems, and structures to bring understanding of their spatial relationships, but not jut to view, but to interact with.
Remote mentorship — AR glasses help tranmist real-time visual data to experienced mentors, who can provide remote guidance and instructions during procedures to students and mentees.
Patient education — AR apps can be used to project visual explanations of medical conditions onto patients’ bodies. It helps patients make abstract concepts tangible and engage them more in their treatment plans.
Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment
Enhancement of medical diagnosis and treatment is where XR’s transformative capabilities manifest strongly. XR aids examination of critical data and anatomical insights, augmenting decision-making by providing real-time data. Both VR and AR have an important role in diagnostics and surgical planning using:
Holographic navigation — Surgeons already used Microsoft HoloLens AR headsets during reconstructive surgeries to project 3D holographic models of concrete patients’ anatomy and findings onto the surgical field, which minimizes the risk.
Vascular procedures — In catheterization labs, AR overlays have enabled interventional cardiologists to visualize blood vessels in real-time, aiding in stent placements and reducing procedure times.
Intraoperative imaging — AR systems like Augmedics’ Xvision Spine have facilitated spinal surgeries by displaying 3D spinal anatomy through surgeons’ headsets, allowing them to precisely place instruments and implants.
In this case, mixed reality (MR) can step in as a co-pilot. On the contrary to AR, MR works with spatial coordinates of physical space and can offer a helpful hand if this is what the operative intervention requires.
Therapy and Rehabilitation
Although some people see it as a virtual escape, simulation imaging doesn’t necessarily have to be taken negatively. Our brains are powerful, and by creating an image of an experience, it can be “convinced” to pull in the right direction — towards healing.
Therapeutic solutions and rehabilitative virtual tools can help patients become more active, even if it’s only initially in their minds. Step by step, with help of simulations, they can start to envision the impact of the therapy and proceed towards well-being. Patients can get immersed in VR to try out:
Pain distraction — Hospitals with implemented VR therapy divert patients’ attention from pain during wound dressings, dental procedures or labor, significantly reducing the perception of pain.
Exposure therapy — VR has shown promise in treating phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by recreating triggering situations in a controlled environment, which allows patients to confront their fears gradually.
Mindfulness and relaxation — VR experiences provide immersive landscapes for mindfulness and relaxation, aiding patients in managing stress, anxiety or depression through guided meditation.
VR physical therapy — Patients recovering from surgeries or injuries can use VR-powered physical therapy sessions that immerse them in interactive environments. For instance, a patient rehabilitating a leg injury might use VR to play virtual games that require leg movements.
Remote Consultations and Telemedicine
Distances can be diminished by the power of connectivity. In case of no availability of specialists in certain areas, patients can consult someone remotely. Oftentimes it alleviates stress stemming from having to travel, in other cases it just simply is not possible. In extreme cases, people need an emergency that has to be resolved immediately. Telemedicine goes beyond video calls — it’s an immersive tool to access virtual ambulances and clinics for medical consultations, where patients can use:
Remote diagnostics — Telemedicine technologies and remote monitoring tools are here to assess and diagnose patients’ health conditions from a distance, enabling healthcare providers to offer timely medical guidance and treatment recommendations without the need for in-person visits. This approach has grown in use since the COVID-19 pandemic, due to minimizing physical contact and reducing the burden on healthcare facilities.
Surgical guidance — Surgeons in remote areas can wear AR headsets during procedures, receiving real-time guidance from specialists located elsewhere. The specialists can annotate the live video feed with instructions to improve the accuracy and outcomes of the surgery.
Emergency care — Emergency medical technicians equipped with AR tech can collaborate with remote physicians during critical patient interventions, receiving step-by-step guidance.
Steps Towards Adoption
The XR MedTech strides boldly into the future, but there are still things to think about. Data security looms large as a concern, with patient information and sensitive medical data, which demands secure systems. Accessibility, too, remains a challenge, as XR is not yet “democratized”. Regulatory considerations are tied to safety frameworks to figure out how to safeguard patient safety and privacy while supporting innovation.
Data security — The convergence of digital data and medical insights needs robust cybersecurity protocols to safeguard patient privacy and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Accessibility — Ensuring that XR solutions are inclusive and accessible to individuals with disabilities is probably the most significant challenge, due to requiring user interfaces that cater to a diverse range of needs.
Regulatory compliance — Adhering to existing healthcare regulations while accommodating the rapid pace of XR development demands a delicate balance that addresses patient safety and fosters innovation, especially in global/international context.
As we peek through the looking glass, the trajectory of XR-powered MedTech will probably first breach into specialized medical fields. As all this technology has to be highly customized, it takes a long time to develop, adjust and test to ensure that it really is safe to operate and there are no weak points that could cost lives.
The XR MedTech field could really benefit from diversification of solutions. Diversification in terms of application — but also in terms of difficulty. Some solutions are easier to build and adopt than others, and medical offices should start with those to weave the way forward.
The fabric of the medical practice has already gone through a digital upgrade, namely through computerization of some operations and storing patient’s data. XR is the next stage of the digital transformation that is significant for accessibility and precision of the future healthcare.
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OWNverse XR specializes in immersive solutions in a variety of sectors. If you are looking for a custom solution, reach out!
