Health has always been a sensitive issue, but the 21st century has brought significant changes to simplify this complex area of concern. The hike in expenses, the rising demand for personalized treatment for patients, and an increased effort to deliver care to vulnerable populations of society are some of the concerns related to health.
Healthcare is on its way towards advancement and enhancement. The pace at which technology innovation has adapted is tremendous. The desire for personalised treatments, and an increasing outreach of such technologies which is easily accessible by people belonging to remote areas, can be quickly addressed if we keep moving at such a pace.
Goldman Sachs predicts that using AR and VR within the healthcare industry will reach $5.1 billion by 2025, whereas markets anticipate development to $6.5 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 30.7%. These innovations will pave the way for the digitisation of healthcare, and show important openings for applications for payers, healthcare experts and suppliers and restorative gadgets.
The healthcare industry has been redefined with the massive use of connected devices, computer vision, AI, Augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). Below are some of the applications of artificial reality for the industry:
1. Payers
By simulating real-life situations, augmented reality can help simplify the complex process of elaborating insurance products. Rather than engaging with a lengthy brochure, customers can be given an immersive, informative experience. Along with a fantastic experience, an interactive session can be conducted to reduce further the service requests that may arise due to a lack of understanding.
2. Healthy Lifestyle
Augmented reality can complement human instructions, providing trainers and coaches to help evaluate performance anytime and anywhere. Furthermore, the artificial reality is firsthand equipment for student users’ knowledge, training regime, and performance. Artificial Reality can be utilized for a healthy lifestyle by teaching healthy eating habits and providing nutritional information about the foods, motivating users to follow a balanced diet and proper routine.
3. Providers
Some surgeries can be dangerously complicated. An operation may consist of multiple steps; each step depends on another, and any deviation can be harmful. Augmented reality (AR) can provide digital models for detailed planning of any operation. Furthermore, various scenarios can be enacted to optimise the sequence and help prepare for a thorough course of action and operation-related consequences.
4. Medical Devices
Virtual training or augmented reality can help promote a more thorough and different style of learning experiences through the provision of remote digital support and expertise anytime during the course. Field engineers can also use augmented reality to solve complex problems by overlaying step-by-step instructions via mobile or any other device.
5. Telehealth And Doctoring
The global pandemic led to an abrupt growth of the telehealth industry. One of the main reasons behind the growth of telehealth is AR remote assistance and solutions related to it; that come from across the globe. Today, patients from vulnerable areas can very easily schedule their appointments with doctors and surgeons just over a call. There is no need for patients to travel places and expose themselves to any sort of danger of contamination by infectious diseases and still get face-to-face interactions with an expert.
6. Detection Of Symptoms
Many patients find it challenging to speak with their doctors about the symptoms they come across. Some might exaggeratedly tell them, while others might share the minimum information about what they are going through. This missing information leads to incorrect diagnoses, improper medical care, and inaccurate prescription of medicines. However, with the help of augmented reality, healthcare centers provide patients with an easy way to check their symptoms and track their current status of health. They can also easily connect with a doctor in real-time through services such as telehealth and receive advice for their problems. Doctors can review these reports for accuracy and suggest remedies to relieve their patient’s problems.
7. Vein Visualization
Tests like collecting blood samples or injecting shots to detect infection or disease might not sound like a pleasant experience for many patients, especially when the medical staff misses the vein in the first instance. With the assistance of AR handheld scanners and near-infrared imaging, it is convenient for nurses to see the veins and collect blood samples. AR has increased the probability of new medical staff trainees detecting the patient’s veins and giving them a painless experience.
8. Enhanced Medical Imaging
AR technology allows professionals to transform digital information into authentic medical images, such as MRI and CT scans. By overlaying 3D elaborations and visual cues onto these images, various physicians can acquire a better understanding of a patient’s condition at that particular moment which further helps in identifying anomalies and planning treatment strategies with greater accuracy.
9. Patient Self-Care
Patients care for their health better with AR-powered applications. Physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation are two areas where AR solutions have turned beneficial. Through such assistance, doctors and experts can digitally demonstrate their bodily motions to recover their health. Such AR apps have the details of nearby hospitals and medical centers so doctors can reach remote locations to provide their supervision.
10. Training Physicians On New Therapies
Many life-science enterprises use the technology of augmented reality to inform providers about the latest therapies and drugs to improve the outcomes of the treatment and improve patient’s health. Companies can create 3D annotations and illustrations providing paperless manuals and digital work instructions for a procedure. Using technology in our day-to-day operations, we can enhance the link between the pharmaceutical community, doctors, physicians, and patients and smoothly carry the process of healthy living.
Conclusion
Augmented Reality has great potential in healthcare, which can be seen through daily application. With the use of technology, healthcare can become more affordable, easily accessible and available; increasing outreach to millions of individuals across the globe. The technology can address health awareness, disease outbreaks, prevention, diagnosis, training, and patient care. In an era of advancing technologies and development, such technologies have a broad scope in the future.
