VR and the Future of Healthcare

The future of healthcare is likely to be a more virtual experience, but not in the ways that you might expect. In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has become a promising area of health and science research. Chronic pain is a serious health issue that may affect 11% to 40% of adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

VR technology could be a possible solution to help patients manage chronic pain. For this study, researchers are following patients for up to 90 days to study if they experience a meaningful or significant change in their pain level after wearing a VR headset. Some hospital systems are using VR simulations as a way to help doctors better empathize with their patients. During these VR simulations, doctors experience having specific health conditions or being in certain real-life situations, such as being the target of verbal abuse in a domestic violence scenario.