Medical extended reality: A new dimension of care

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• April 3, 2024

Insight summary

Extended reality (XR) is reshaping the healthcare landscape by offering tools that blend the digital with the physical, significantly enhancing the way medical professionals train, diagnose, and treat. These technologies allow for detailed visualization of the human body, improve medical procedures' precision, and offer medical students innovative educational experiences. The widespread adoption of augmented, virtual, and mixed realities (AR/VR/MR) in healthcare promises more personalized patient care, operational efficiencies for healthcare providers, and broader access to quality healthcare services across different communities.

Medical extended reality context

Extended reality includes VR's immersive training environments, AR's real-time information overlay, and MR's integration of digital objects into the real world. These tools enable an immersive integration of digital and physical environments, offering unprecedented opportunities for medical professionals to enhance patient care and medical education. By leveraging XR, healthcare practitioners can perform intricate procedures with greater precision, visualize complex medical conditions in three dimensions, and simulate surgical environments for educational purposes. 

Modern XR technologies enable surgeons to navigate the human body with enhanced visibility, providing a detailed view of organs through advanced imaging techniques. This innovation supports diagnostic precision and allows students to study human anatomy and procedures in a controlled, virtual environment. Several startups play a pivotal role in this ecosystem, offering solutions that facilitate the visualization and diagnosis of medical conditions. 

For example, Osso VR specializes in VR surgical training for doctors and medical students. Proximie offers an AR platform that allows surgeons to collaborate virtually during live surgeries, regardless of their physical location. XR's potential extends beyond procedural and diagnostic applications, offering innovative solutions for patient empathy, medical education, and the management of complex medical conditions. 

Disruptive impact

By enabling more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans, these technologies promise to reduce the likelihood of medical errors. For individuals, this means access to healthcare more tailored to their specific needs, potentially leading to faster recovery times and reduced healthcare costs. Additionally, simulating complex medical scenarios in a virtual environment offers patients a clearer understanding of their conditions and treatments, fostering a more engaged and informed approach to their health care.

For companies operating within the healthcare sector, the adoption of AI and XR technologies represents an opportunity to streamline operations and improve service delivery. These technologies can facilitate remote patient monitoring, allowing healthcare providers to offer continuous care without needing physical visits. This capability is particularly beneficial for managing chronic conditions or providing post-operative care. Moreover, the data collected through AI-driven diagnostics and patient interactions can help healthcare companies identify trends and improve treatment protocols, contributing to the overall advancement of medical science.

Governments and regulatory bodies can establish clear guidelines and support the development of secure, accessible platforms. These policies include investing in digital infrastructure to support telehealth services and ensuring that educational programs are in place to equip healthcare professionals with the necessary skills to utilize these technologies effectively. Such initiatives can lead to more equitable healthcare systems where advanced medical care is not just available to those in urban centers but is extended to rural and underserved populations.

Implications of medical extended reality

Wider implications of medical XR may include: 

• Changes in healthcare policy to support the integration of XR technologies, ensuring safe and effective use.
• Shifts in labor market demands, with a growing need for professionals skilled in extended reality and digital health technologies.
• Increased patient engagement and satisfaction as individuals gain more insight and control over their treatment plans.
• Development of new business models in healthcare, focusing on personalized and preventive care services.
• Potential environmental benefits from reduced physical infrastructure needs and decreased travel for medical consultations.
• Enhanced global collaboration in medical research and education, facilitating the rapid sharing of knowledge and best practices.

Questions to consider

• How might the widespread adoption of extended reality in healthcare reshape the patient-doctor relationship?
• How can society ensure equitable access to extended reality healthcare technologies across different socioeconomic groups?