Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are quickly reaching a mainstream tipping point. These technologies are spreading to classrooms, gyms and healthcare facilities across the globe. Healthcare AR is new, yet it is providing all sorts of benefits for consumers as well as healthcare providers. As an example, this technology is helping patients overcome anxiety about upcoming procedures and treatments. This technology also is helping doctors perfect procedures, enhance patients’ quality of life and treat the sick and elderly in the most efficient manner possible.
AR for Physicians
AR is empowering physicians in several ways. For one, healthcare AR provides doctors and nurses with data and helpful information without forcing them to detach from their current project. AR instructs practitioners on the nuances of administering treatment, performing surgeries and beyond. This is done in real-time in a completely seamless manner. In fact, AR has even entered the medical classroom. This technology lets students interact with a 3D image of the body to better understand biological functionality and the way procedures should be performed.
AR Technology is Empowering Patients
AR is enhancing education for physicians as well as patients. This technology lets pharmaceutical companies boost patient education through a visualization of products and surgeries. This is the patient engagement healthcare providers have long coveted. From providing a visual portrayal of the doctor’s office to explaining the nuances of an upcoming surgery, AR is helping patients understand the intricacies of treatment. For example, one company used it to show patients how heat wraps could relieve their pain. It also was employed as a tool to pinpoint the best treatment options for ameliorating specific aches and pains.
How AR Technology Improves Healthcare Sales
One of the primary advantages of AR is to display highly complex concepts in a clear and efficient manner. Drug and healthcare providers face stiff competition. Even the slightest competitive advantage can make the difference between fantastic quarterly results and a struggling business.
AR has empowered physicians to show off the merits of new drugs in a clear and impactful manner. This technology provides 3D portrayals of specific body organs to show exactly how certain drugs and procedures can enhance health. As an example, one company has used augmented reality technology to put a breakthrough treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture on display. Those struggling with this ailment found the company’s AR presentation quite captivating. Those who work in healthcare were empowered to scan the page to observe the condition’s effects in three dimensions. The high-tech presentation also made it easier for healthcare professionals to understand exactly how the treatment works, understand the cost savings it provides and learn about other treatment nuances that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
Tech Advances are Making Life Easier for Physicians and Patients
For all the good provided by healthcare AR, it is important to note the technology is in its infancy. Give this technology a few years and it will be commonplace across medical classrooms, hospitals and other treatment facilities. The result of this tech advancement will be a higher quality of life for patients as well as doctors. Stay tuned — a slew of new advancements fueled by AR are poised to emerge and dramatically alter society for the better in the years to come.