Over 1 billion medical practices in hospitals are expected to use virtual reality software by 2020, for the benefit of both doctors and their patients.
With virtual reality consoles such as the Occulus Rift, combined with specialized VR software for surgeons, chiropractors, general practitioners, and all kinds of healthcare professionals, doctors are providing safer, faster, and more efficient care for their patients while saving time and money in the process.
Here are 5 ways that medical practices are benefiting from medical VR software:
1. Reduce Risk, and Take On More Patients
Hospitals and medical practices who utilize VR are able to provide faster and more efficient care for their patients. This results in the ability for healthcare professionals to take on a greater volume of patients, with a lowered risk of failure.
Time has shown that patients will always choose to be cared for by hospitals and medical practices that utilize cutting-edge medical technology, and offer lower-risk procedures compared to those that don’t. So, it’s no surprise that patients are being drawn to practices that offer the latest advancements in virtual technology, with features that greatly reduce the risk of surgical failure.
VR software is also saving hospitals and medical practices time and money by eliminating the need to spend thousands on live bodies and animals for their medical students to practice on. Instead, medical students and professionals are able to safely practice procedures on artificial digital models.
2. Identify Problem Areas You Might Miss Otherwise
Additionally, there have been cases of medical professionals who notice problem areas and details with virtual imaging that would have been missed otherwise.
In a virtual space, medical professionals can manipulate bones, organs and tissues in ways that would be impossible in real life, resulting in analyses that provide more accurate and effective care for their patients.
3. Patient Education and Reassurance
Healthcare professionals aren’t the only ones who need to ready themselves for procedures. Patients afraid of procedures to come must also mentally prepare themselves for the operating room, which proves difficult due to a disconnect between the patient and the surgery taking place.
With VR, healthcare professionals can show their patients exactly what will be happening during their procedure, and clearly explain what will happen every step of the way by guiding them through the process step by step.
4. Identify Problem Areas That Could Be Missed Otherwise
Combining angiograms, CT scans and MRI imaging, specialized VR software creates finely-detailed 3D models of a patient’s areas scheduled for all kinds of treatments. In a completely artificial and immersive environment, doctors are able to study and interact with these models in real time, familiarizing themselves with the procedures to take place.
Many studies have shown that doctors who utilize virtual technology perform faster, more effective procedures on their patients. Able to perform upcoming procedures many times over in a digital space, healthcare professionals feel more confident and familiar when it comes time to operating on their patients, and perform significantly better as a result.
5. Immersive, Comprehensive Training for Medical Students
VR medical software is an increasingly popular method of training for medical students of all kinds. Medical students who practice surgical procedures using virtual reality perform significantly better than those that don’t, with studies showing:
- 29% Faster Operating Speeds
- 6 Times Less Likely to Make Errors
- 9 Times More Likely to Show Marked Improvement of Skills
- Significantly More Improvement in Hand-Eye Coordination
Additional features include on-screen instructions that walk medical students through procedures, making this a popular method of preparation for intensely delicate and complex procedures, such as those performed in laparoscopic surgery.
Next Steps
For help in getting VR for your practice, call (877) 482-3008 to speak with a Business Financing Advisor, or, fill out this 1-page, 1-minute application online to get funded in as little as 24 hours.