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Recent two decades have remained remarkable for the healthcare sector. We witnessed some of the greatest medical breakthroughs to address one of the biggest challenges against the human kind- corona pandemic. Today, robotic surgery has become a norm and the first 3D-printed organ replacement has been done. Mobile app development services stand at the junction of advancing technology and healthcare sector.
In this post, we are going to understand the scope of one such emerging technology role of VR in healthcare organizations. We will also dig deep into major challenges and top considerations when integrating this technology in healthcare apps. Let’s start with the current situation of healthcare mobile applications.
The current scenario of healthcare mobile apps is characterized by a significant increase in their usage and development, driven by various trends and benefits. Mobile application development services facilitate healthcare professionals to transform clinical practice and improve patient services through healthcare apps. These apps are useful in information management, health record maintenance, communications, patient monitoring, clinical decision-making, and spreading medical awareness.
The market for medical mobile apps grows rapidly as they are useful for many purposes from wellness management to health condition management. Additionally, these apps help health professionals and decision-makers deal with critical challenges with advancements in AI, IoT, AR, and VR technologies .
Simply put, healthcare mobile apps are revolutionizing the industry by offering convenient, efficient, and innovative solutions for healthcare professionals and patients.
In recent years, the healthcare sector has experienced significant advancements through the integration of virtual reality (VR) technology. It has redefined the dynamics of interactions between healthcare professionals and patients. VR app development has emerged as a pivotal player in revolutionizing healthcare services based on virtual reality. Technology and healthcare organizations are continuously innovating to harness the advanced functionalities of wearables, combined with VR apps to enhance patient services.
One notable application of this technology is in pain management, where VR-based apps, in conjunction with wearables, can serve as efficient pain management systems accessible to patients anytime, anywhere.
The advent of VR-based apps has empowered healthcare providers to deliver care more efficiently, ultimately leading to enhanced outcomes for patients. This is a major reason why hospitals and healthcare institutions opt for mobile app development services .
A recent report from Reports and Data has predicted that the market size of virtual reality in healthcare sector is expected to reach USD 12.14 billion in 2032. This value was just USD 2.82 billion in the year 2022. As more hospitals and healthcare organizations want to offer sophisticated healthcare facilities and improved patient care services, VR technology gets more penetration.
Image Source - Reportsanddata
Let’s dig deep into the benefits of virtual reality in the healthcare sector.
Medical students prefer rich visual experiences with practical skills to serve their patients as successful practitioners. However, traditional methods of acquiring knowledge of medical science and training were time-consuming and monotonous for students. All thanks to VR technology, the learning process becomes more simple yet engaging. They can get interactive training for better understanding.
These days, many people suffer from mental disorders due to stress and other issues in their lives. Psychiatrists prescribe specific medicines and therapies to treat such people. However, the advent of virtual reality in this sector can become highly convenient and effective for ensuring better results as compared to these medicines. VR therapies can divert patients with mental disorders to an immersive background necessary for their healing.
Whether it is determining the right treatment solution or a proper surgical method, VR makes it more convenient for doctors and surgeons. It offers visualization of treatment methods to assist healthcare service providers in determining the right method based on the patient’s current health condition. Unlike previous times when health experts found it difficult to determine the right solution for patients, VR has made it convenient.
Healthcare management and patient services remain at the centre to ensure growth in this sector. Better management can enforce effective coordination across various departments that can help healthcare professionals serve patients easily. Here, the potential of VR technology remains useful as doctors and service providers can access the patient’s past medical history easily. VR also enables them to track the condition of medical and surgical equipment regularly.
It is one of the biggest benefits of VR technology in a thriving healthcare industry. Traditionally, a scope of small mistakes was always remained when treating many patients. However, VR technology and mobile app development services can reduce the chances of human errors during treatment or surgical procedures. It can give healthcare organizations more power to generate trust among patients.
Here, it is necessary to mention that healthcare organizations must address some key challenges and follow considerations to all the benefits of VR technology.
VR integration into healthcare sector has many challenges and considerations to address effectively. Here we mention several general and specific challenges.
The use of VR in concepts like telemedicine can affect traditional face-to-face interactions between physicians and patients. It impacts medical relationships and outcomes.
VR implementation in healthcare requires high-quality hardware, and specialized accessories, which can be expensive. It acts as a barrier in widespread adoption of VR apps.
Proper training and guidelines are essential for the effective use of VR in medical education and treatments. Considerations such as user characteristics and patient age are crucial.
Mobile app development companies need to design VR healthcare apps in line with the standards ensuring user efficiency and effectiveness. However, this is quite challenging.
User acceptance problems can lead to system abandonment or dissatisfaction. Therefore, app designers should give user-friendly design in line with the trends in the healthcare sector.
The success story of VR depends on creating a believable and interactive virtual environment that induces a feeling of presence. However, developers have to consider many aspects to achieve it.
VR app development in healthcare industry requires collaboration among specialists in various fields including 3D modelling, programming, and clinical expertise. But this is highly difficult.
After understanding these challenges, let's go through some useful considerations.
VR treatments should only be administered under expert clinical supervision to avoid potential risks. Safety parameters, managing health implications, and monitoring user experiences are vital for the responsible use of VR in healthcare.
Addressing these challenges and considerations is essential for the successful integration of VR technology in healthcare, ensuring positive outcomes for patients, providers, and stakeholders.
Integrating virtual reality (VR) into mobile apps can provide hospitals and patients with immersive and effective experiences. However, it requires adherence to specific best practices to ensure user satisfaction and engagement. Mobile app development service providers follow them rigorously for leveraging the benefits of VR. Here are some best practices-
Developers need to focus on creating an intuitive and comfortable VR experience to prevent motion sickness and overwhelm users. They can opt for visually appealing graphics.
It is necessary to begin with simple concepts and gradually enhance the VR app based on user feedback. Furthermore, avoid complexity that may frustrate patients and hinder its adoption.
Developers need to ensure fast loading times, high frame rates, and responsiveness to deliver a rich experience. They can optimize 3D graphics and minimize latency for better performance.
It is crucial to test the VR app extensively across different hardware devices and user scenarios. Developers use in-app and remote testing tools to identify and address usability issues.
Developers should make VR apps that address specific healthcare challenges or meet well-defined needs. They should avoid generic experiences and focus on delivering value.
All essential functionality of VR apps should be accessible without VR hardware. Hire mobile app developers to give users or patients progressive enhancement.
Considering health conditions, developers need to restrict VR sessions to manageable durations such as 5-10 minutes. Also, incorporate engaging cues to enhance the experience.
These best practices will enable healthcare app developers to create compelling and effective VR experiences that contribute positively to patient care and engagement.
Silicon IT Hub is a renowned mobile app development company. Our experienced developers can integrate advancements of emerging technologies including AI , IoT , and VR in high-end mobile apps. We, at Silicon IT Hub, make an enterprise-grade app that can assist your healthcare organization to leverage the benefits of VR technology. Want to discuss the scope of this immersive approach? Simply mail us at info@siliconithub.com and get your dedicated app.
Virtual reality technology can simulate real-world experiences for medical training, patient education, therapy, and diagnostic purposes in dedicated healthcare apps.
Various usages of VR technology in healthcare mobile apps include improved medical training, remote consultations, better pain management therapies, and increased patient engagement.
Yes, challenges such as high development costs, hardware compatibility issues, patient data security, regulatory compliance, and the need for continuous updates are common when integrating VR into healthcare mobile apps.
Virtual reality applications are useful for surgical training, patient education about medical conditions virtual therapy sessions for mental health, pain distraction techniques during procedures, and creating immersive environments for rehabilitation exercises.
Yes, ethical considerations include ensuring patient privacy and data security, obtaining informed consent for VR-based treatments, and addressing potential biases in VR simulations used for medical training.
