Today, the scope of virtual reality (VR) transcends beyond gaming and social networks. It is self-actualizing in different fields; the health sector is already one of the most significant frontiers for using the technology. Current challenges in health care delivery systems are being solved by VR in various ways, including medical education and training and patient care. Here are ten progressive organizations using VR tech to revolutionize healthcare:
1. Virti
Since 2017 it has been operating in Bristol, England, and Virti develops and publishes interactive video content that can be viewed on mobile devices, desktop computers, or through VR headsets. That facility offers healthcare providers an extensive database of simulations as the resource for skills training and practice.
Virti’s content creation tools are very flexible and enable users to create specific training situations that may be required for a program. It also uses sentiment analysis to provide enhanced performance analysis, promoting improved learning results.
Researches have pointed out that using Virti’s method means decreasing skill fade by 44% and increasing knowledge retention by 230%. Some of its notable partners are the National Health Service.
2. MyndVR
MyndVR aims mainly to enhance the quality of life of elderly patients by providing therapeutic virtual reality technology. Launched in 2016 and having its office in Dallas, Texas, the company has the biggest stock of VR content appropriate for seniors. MyndVR enables these elderly to remain active socially and be as adventurous as they used to be before the illnesses set in.
3. SimX
SimX, founded in 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland, is an industry leader for virtual reality training in nursing, paramedicine, emergency medical services, and military health personnel. The product scope includes over 150 patient models, 30 environments, and more than 300 tools & procedures. A significant advantage of SimX is that the opportunity for teamwork on a specific case is considered.
The platform also enables the creation of unique training environments at a relatively shorter time and cheaper than in the past. Its customers are prestigious, for example, the Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, and the US Air Force.
4. ORamaVR
Swiss-based ORamaVR created the MAGES SDK, which is used for healthcare simulations to efficiently create medically accurate, high-quality VR simulations. The company was started in 2020 and consists of talented mathematicians, surgeons, and scientists to offer the best solutions.
In its short life, ORamaVR has won the approval of many organizations, including the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) and Epic Games. They are used in some institutions, such as the University of Michigan and Western Governors University, due to their unique technology.
5. XRHealth
Virtual clinics operating under XRHealth are the first of their kind, using only VR technology for telehealth purposes. These clinics provide occupational, physical, and mental health treatments to patients with different diseases. Located in Brookline, Massachusetts, and established since 2016, XRHealth is a virtual reality solution integrated with patient data and professional physicians.
The XRHealth platform’s effectiveness has been for various ailments, including stress and chronic pain, from the patients’ testimonials. Continued by Time and BBC, XRHealth works with organizations including the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Israeli Air Force.
6. Heru
Heru creates an AI-assisted VR solution for the eye doctors to facilitate diagnosis of patients’ cases. It is based in Miami, Florida, USA, and was established in 2018. The technology assists in several eye examinations, such as visual fields and color vision tests. It has been able to enable efficiency in the patient experience.
Moreover, the platform has been recognized and rewarded within the CES Innovation Awards. As one of the healthcare professionals stated, “I have seen that Heru has an enhanced patient experience and caters to patients with mobility issues.” The collaborators of Heru are Family Eye Care Associates and Advanced Eye.Care.
7. AppliedVR
The company, AppliedVR, is pioneering the use of VR therapeutics in chronic pain control. Founded in 2015 in Van Nuys, the company is authorized by the FDA to use the substance for chronic lower back pain treatment, and it is busy working out treatments for fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and similar conditions.
Company specializes in clinical works being done for medical institutions such as Cleveland Clinic and the National Cancer Institute. The company has released eight pieces of work and has eighteen in progress, proving its dedication to research-based innovation.
8. Mieron
Mieron works with neurotherapeutic processes of VR to ease mobility difficulty for patients. Elpas founded the company in 2015 and is based in Long Beach, California; this enterprise unites the use of brain science, other therapeutic techniques, and virtual reality with people who have strokes, Parkinson’s illness, and MS.
Mieron has worked hard and achieved recognition and acclaim, such as being declared the CES 2020 Eureka Park Accessibility Contest winner. The company works with such organizations as the United Spinal Association to share innovation ideas to increase accessibility and also to better patients’ care.
9. WAVR
In 2021, Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Wide Awake VR, Inc. (WAVR) delivers VR as a solution eliminating the use of sedatives during minor surgeries. Patients using WAVR can effectively not fast, continue to take their usual medications, and even drive themselves home post procedure.
This is less stressful and time-saving to the patients, and most importantly, it will bring down the cost of treatment in the society. Currently, WAVR collaborates with other organizations such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to increase the application of VR in health sectors.
10. Perspectus
Created to help medical practitioners to prepare their clients for surgeries and to reduce their stress, Perspectus employs VR technology to develop the anatomical representations. Perspectus, founded in 2020 and located in Fort Collins, Colorado, also contributes to global medical education and research by offering comprehensive resources for studying biological systems.
Research indicates that its solutions increase the patient loyalty by twenty percent and increase the learning of medical students by 87 percent. Some of the past and present customers are, for instance, the University of Charleston and other leading companies.
A Future Built for Virtual Reality
These ten companies prove the broad possibilities of VR in the sphere of health care. The application of VR ranges from the enhancement of medical training to the rather creative ways in which it is used in delivering treatments. As this technology advances, its essentiality in enhancing health care delivery systems for both the providers and the patients cannot be overemphasized.
It has been established that, to healthcare professionals, it is crucial to keep abreast of such developments. Through adopting the use of VR solutions, the growth of the healthcare industry can still be expanded and enhanced on the global front.
