Extended Reality

Apr 19

XR transforms learning, therapy, and patient experience.

Extended reality (XR) includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies applied across healthcare. XR has enabled immersive pain distraction, surgical planning, and remote education. It is already easing anxiety and pain in hospitals, while it supports hands-on training and remote collaboration.

  
  Pros and Cons Table
  
        Pros
        Cons
      
        Enhances medical education and training
        Hardware can be expensive or bulky
      
        Supports remote collaboration
        Requires careful motion and UX design
      
        Reduces pain and stress for patients
        May not suit all patient populations
      
        Enables simulated care environments
        Data privacy in immersive settings is evolving
      
        Boosts patient engagement and adherence
        Integration with existing workflows can be complex

Extended Reality (XR) spans a wide spectrum, from fully immersive virtual environments to digital content layered over the physical world. In healthcare, it is already being used in areas such as rehabilitation, phobia treatment, anatomy education, and pain management. To apply XR effectively, start by identifying high-impact use cases like pediatric wards, surgical rehearsal, or clinician training. Begin with small-scale pilot programs to test feasibility and impact. Ensuring high-quality content is essential, as is collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to create experiences that are user-friendly, relevant, and comfortable for patients and professionals alike.