Augmented reality (AR) offers the potential to enhance clinical decision making by overlaying relevant patient data and images directly onto the real world environment. Using AR head mounted displays, physicians can access a patient’s full medical history, scans, X-rays and other vital information without having to look away from the patient or around a computer screen. This allows clinicians to make more informed diagnoses and treatment plans with all necessary data seamlessly integrated into their field of view.
Several startups have developed AR platforms specifically for healthcare use. Quiq allows clinicians to access reference materials, treatment guidelines and consult remotely with specialists through an AR headset. Medical visualization company Anthropic has an AR application that overlays 3D anatomical models directly onto a patient for surgical planning and education. HoloAnatomy creates holographic projections of the human body that medical students can interact with to learn human anatomy in an immersive 3D environment.
Augmented Reality In Healthcare technology shows great promise in improving clinical decision making by giving doctors instant access to all relevant patient data without disrupting the flow of patient care. Overlapping medical images, scans and other key information directly into the physician’s field of view through AR stands to transform how healthcare is delivered at the point of care.
Improving Preoperative Planning and Augmented Reality In Healthcare
Augmented reality is being applied to improve preoperative planning and surgical navigation. Using AR, surgeons can visualize a patient’s anatomy, places for incisions and visualize medical implants before making the first incision. This helps plan the surgical approach and anticipate challenges.
During surgery, AR smart glasses or headsets allow surgeons to see critical information overlaid directly onto the patient. Real-time data like CT scans, ultrasound images and 3D anatomical models are blended into the surgeon’s field of view to aid navigation. AR also enables visualization of virtual surgical guides or anatomical targets to help ensure surgical accuracy.
For example, New Zealand based company Proxi Medical has developed an Augmented Reality In Healthcare system called Vector to aid in hip and knee replacements. Surgeons use Vector to perform pre-op planning, see virtual surgical guides overlaid in the OR and track implant placement in real-time for increased precision. Studies show Vector improves implant positioning, reduces surgery time and leads to better patient outcomes versus traditional techniques.
As AR technology continues to improve, its ability to enhance pre-op planning, intraoperative guidance and surgical accuracy holds significant promise in improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes from the operating room.
Enabling Remote Consultation and Treatment
Augmented reality opens up possibilities for remote healthcare delivery and consultation that could expand access in underserved communities. Through AR applications, clinicians in different locations can collaboratively diagnose patients and guide treatment in real-time using holograms and virtual overlay of data.
Startup Anthropic has created an AR telemedicine application called PBCare that allows remote physicians to conduct video exams with patients and view/annotate medical scans and X-rays together in AR. Doctors can draw on images, point to areas of interest and discuss treatment plans with colleagues in an immersive collaborative experience. This type of remote collaboration through AR could be transformative for speciality consultations and continuing medical education.
AR also enables remote procedural guidance where an expert surgeon can see what a general practitioner sees and guide them step-by-step during complex surgeries or treatments from a different location using an AR headset. Startup Augmedics has developed an AR system called xvision that authenticates remote experts to guide frontline clinicians through procedures using real-time overlay of instructions and annotations directly onto the patient.
As 5G networks roll out and AR technology advances, new possibilities will emerge for remote treatment monitoring and guidance through augmented reality. This holds potential to deliver consistent, high-quality healthcare to more remote and underserved communities worldwide by enabling remote expert collaboration, education and treatment guidance.
Facilitating Medical Education and Training
Augmented reality provides an engaging new method for medical education and training that goes beyond traditional textbooks and cadavers. Through AR simulations, students can observe complex anatomical structures, study disease pathologies and practice procedural skills in an interactive 3D environment.
Anthropic’s HoloAnatomy application transforms classrooms by overlaying detailed virtual human anatomical models students can manipulate, layer and zoom into for self-directed exploration. Elsewhere, medical simulation startup Osso VR uses AR to allow trainees to practice tricky orthopedic surgeries on virtual bone and soft tissue models with real-time feedback.
AR is also poised to transform continuing medical education for practicing physicians. Platforms like Anthropic PBCare mentioned previously enable experts to guide colleagues through surgical simulations, complex cases and prosthetics fitting training in mixed reality. This just-in-time, immersive learning approach through AR is highly motivating for learners and more closely mimics real-world settings compared to traditional lecture-based formats.
By bridging the gap between static images andlive patient interactions, augmented reality holds great potential to revolutionize medical education. Its ability to create detailed 3D simulation environments and provide real-time expert guidance is transforming how future physicians and clinicians are trained worldwide.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
