[Especially because I recently had an ultrasound scan that produced results completely uninterpretable to my untrained eyes, I find the argument in this essay from Forbes about some of the important benefits of presence-evoking virtual reality in health care very convincing. –Matthew]
Virtual Reality – The Universal Language In Healthcare
By Alon Zuckerman, Forbes Business Council Member and President of Surgical Theater, a global leader in XR visualization for healthcare
August 19, 2024
Imagine walking into the doctor’s office in constant pain. Your head feels like it is going to burst. You get an MRI scan. It’s cancer. You feel suddenly alone and riddled with fear. What do you do? The doctor shows you these images of your brain, but they look like a black and white Rorschach. You point to a large fragment. “Is that the cancer, Doc?” “No, that is just brain matter. … This is the cancer.” You see him pointing to a speck on the screen so tiny you would have otherwise missed it. You think to yourself, “Seriously, this is cancer? This small dot has the power to take my life?” As your mind races, the doctor starts explaining the various treatment options to you, but she seems to be speaking another language altogether. If only there was a way to translate the words flowing from her into something comprehensible.
Now imagine the confusion if you were in a foreign country speaking to a physician using words that are not even your native language. This would make it infinitely more challenging to cognize the gravity of what is being said. Regardless of the situation, when it comes to understanding your health, there are significant language barriers that prevent patients and families from fully understanding the diagnosis and proposed treatment. However, everything changes with the synergy of virtual reality in healthcare.
With VR, anyone, regardless of race, sex, age or language, can visualize their anatomy and prognosis in a way that is easily grasped. When you take a 3D rendering of a person’s anatomy and show it to them in a virtually created world, they are able to clearly visualize it for themselves. After all, a brain is still a brain regardless of cultural and physical differences!
To this end, virtual reality creates a universal language that even a young child can understand. Instead of showing patients scans that look like faded black and white photographs, an image can be recreated into a full-scale 3D rendering then loaded onto a VR headset. Once the patient lowers the virtual lens over their eyes, they are propelled into an entirely simulated world where they can visualize and fully comprehend their very own anatomy.
The History Of Medical Imaging
Before 1895, there was no way to depict what was happening inside the human body. In fact, during the 1500s, a magnifying glass was considered state-of-the-art imaging. It was not until Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the X-ray while experimenting with a Crooks Cathode Ray tube that we were finally able to picture the inside of the human body. This discovery immediately went “viral,” setting in motion what would become the Industrial Revolution of medical imaging. World War II sonar technology would later usher in the use of ultrasound. Then, in the 1970s, MRI, CT and PET scans became available.
However, even with these key advances in imaging, only highly trained healthcare providers specializing in reviewing scans could actually interpret them. Patients remained left in the dark when it came to apprehending them for themselves.
Applying VR In Healthcare Today
Virtual reality, however, is redefining this market, making it the standard of care to be able to fully understand and visualize one’s condition prior to receiving treatment. Myriad VR platforms are joining the race to be competitive in the extended reality space. Companies, such as apoQlar, are offering a medical mixed-reality platform for surgical planning, training and education. Other companies such as eXeX are offering hospital and operating room optimization and efficiency platforms. Their CreatorX program allows hospitals to create a virtual workflow for operating room procedures. My company, SurgicalTheater, is using extended reality for surgical planning, patient education and intraoperative augmented reality (AR). And companies like XRHealth are even offering virtual reality for therapeutic healthcare.
When it comes to implementing these advanced technologies, there are several factors the health system must consider, including: cost, scalability and training. With the influx of inflation and prices at an all-time high, hospitals are having to tighten their belts more than ever. It is obligatory to do a cost-benefit analysis and determine the ROI for any innovative tools they plan to purchase. However, upfront costs can readily be outweighed when factoring in increased efficiencies, improved outcomes and a possible reduction in complications brought about by these latest advancements to patient care.
On the other hand, the health system must consider both scalability and training. The hospital will need to identify the resources necessary for a successful implementation. They will require a project manager to supervise the process. They must determine who and how to train the necessary staff and users. Finally, it is essential to have a surgeon champion driving the overall process. All of these variables must be considered and carefully planned before purchasing the equipment or making a material change to their current operations.
Once the hospital has all of the elements in place, they must consider possible challenges that may arise during launch. Not having compatible equipment or the available footprint can cause increased costs and hidden barriers that prolong timelines. Additionally, not having enough excited surgeon users can stifle utilization. Just because you build it does not mean they will come. … Many physicians have established practices and techniques of operating. Introducing any new tool may seem like a threat to their equilibrium. It is essential to build momentum and excitement among surgeons beforehand while also ensuring they have the necessary training and resources to prepare them for a modification to their routine.
Conclusion
This influx of extended reality companies is creating a fundamental paradigm shift in healthcare that is giving patients the confidence to make informed medical decisions. Healthcare providers now have the tools to truly create a personalized treatment plan while communicating and collaborating with their patients, allowing these individuals to fully take back control of their health.
Imagine once again sitting in the surgeon’s office facing your uncertain future. Only now, you have a clear image of what your anatomy looks like, what to expect during treatment and are an active player in the solution rather than watching helplessly from outside.
Leave a Reply