The digital era has catalyzed tremendous changes across all sectors of industry including HealthCare. Advancements in digital health are rapidly revolutionizing health care, with physicians able to virtually care for their patients anywhere and anytime. Today, there are smart apps available to fix an appointment with a doctor or even recommend doctors in a patient’s vicinity. We need to agree that Digital makes our lives simpler in numerous aspects.

The immersive technologies – Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality Services – facilitates both doctors and patients in a most interesting way. From surgery simulation, phobia treatment to medical skills training, VR has been changing the way medical professionals train, diagnose, and perform a treatment. Many doctors use VR technology in Pain Management, Rehabilitation, and Therapy for the treatment of diseases ranging from minor phobias to life-threatening/chronic conditions. Virtual Reality helps to create simulated environments that help faster recovery for patients in a safe and controlled manner.

Recently, it was found at a Los Angeles hospital, that VR 360 degree visual experiences helped patients in pain experience a decent measure of relief. For example, using virtual reality head-mounted goggles, patients could travel virtually through Iceland’s beautiful waterfalls and valleys. There was a welcome distraction for patients affected by chronic pain or fatigue. Research indicated that the pain was reduced by 24% or more in the clinical trials conducted. This has been most encouraging for both the patients and doctors.

Another example is how VR is making surgery simpler. It can be used to relax patients and reduce the distress caused by complicated medical procedures. It helps to cut down on drug doses and reduce complications in the long run. Using Virtual Reality Services 3D technology, simulation-based training of surgical procedures enable trainees to have ‘hands-on’ experience in a controlled and safe environment. VR imaging can also be used by surgeons to gain a better view of the patient’s anatomy.

VR technology has been helping to alleviate patients’ illnesses like trauma, anxiety, pain, and phobias for the last 2 decades. VR has been used successfully for dealing with pain in both physical and psychological illnesses. It is entertaining, has hardly any side effects, and carries very less risk.

VR is believed to have huge potential in healthcare and research continues in this field to meet the increasing demand for innovative diagnostic and rehabilitation techniques in Healthcare.

There is still a long way to go!