How Virtual Reality will influence patients in healthcare

Virtual Reality (VR) is the next step in medicine. A good Virtual Reality experience can be transformative for patients and clinicians.

We are about to start a new world, a world where anyone, anywhere, at any time, can train their brain in a series of virtual reality sessions and then take that training and apply it on a daily basis in their lives. This is what I call “virtual reality in digital health”.

There are already millions of people around the world who have purchased or rented these devices.

The question is: how can we use this technology to help patients get better? How can we make virtual reality an integral part of our care? The answer is quite simple: Virtual Reality has been shown to be just as effective as physical therapy, if not more effective at helping people recover. It’s just that this technology was never accessible to them before.

We now have a chance, both literally and figuratively, to change that by helping patients get better through VR technologies. This is not just about the future of healthcare; it’s also about making it happen faster for more people, helping more people in less time. If we fail on either count, we fail at being great at what we do and being successful for everyone for whom we work.

A look at the healthcare industry, how it’s changing, and how technology can help

Virtual Reality (VR) is the next step in medicine. Today, doctors visit patients in the “physical world” using a variety of technology, including x-ray machines, ultrasound and CT scans. But doctors aren’t always comfortable with this technology, and it can be difficult to get around the physical limitations.

Then comes the “virtual world.” We can now use VR to make patients feel like they are sitting in a room with us, rather than hiding behind a screen. If a patient has had radiation therapy for cancer, they may feel like they are sitting on a couch with us as we describe how their treatment worked. If they have been through chemotherapy, they may feel like they are sitting down with us as we describe what side effects their treatment had.

These types of experiences were first used in medical education during the early 19th century; today, VR is being used successfully in dentistry and ophthalmology. It’s important to note that this post is not about virtual reality specifically; it documents how VR will influence our lives for years to come…

How digital health is helping patients

Let’s start with the basics. Virtual Reality is a technology that has been used for years to create immersive 3D environments for games, movies and TV. It was originally designed to make it easier for surgeons to see through a patient’s skin to make a diagnosis or perform procedures, and has also been used by pilots and firefighters to display their abilities on the fly, so they don’t have time to look down at a notebook.

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I was inspired to write this article after my conversation with Denise Silber, Digital Health and VR Communicator & Influencer. In this episode, we talked about digital health and the impact of virtual reality in healthcare. Denise also gave amazing insights on where digital health is heading, plus a perspective on how technology is helping patients.

Watch Episode #60 of Digital Health & Wearables Series:

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