Augmented Reality in Healthcare – The Future of Treatment
Augmented reality is already paving the path in several industries and healthcare is no different. According to research by Digi-Capital, the AR industry is expected to blossom into a $90 billion industry by 2020. The technology has far-reaching implications in the healthcare sector that will transform the medical industry and bring a revolutionizing change in the way patients are diagnosed. For patients, AR is a gift because it enhances the quality of treatment and doctors find it useful because AR reduces the complexity of the surgery. It’s breaking barriers and taking the healthcare sector to the next level.
Here are a few reasons why the healthcare industry is head over heels and preferring AR in the treatment of their patients.
1) Augmented Reality Enriches the medical education
With augmented reality, medical education is becoming more interactive and realistic. The technology is fueling innovation and helping the medical students understand complex procedures in practical life. AR apps can be used to display anatomical information of a 3D printed skeleton. It will allow students to know the different names of the bones and students will have to rely less on their imagination. Furthermore, by overlaying the AR app on the picture of a human heart, students can understand the working of a human heart in real-time. AR is making it possible for the young practitioners and students to access practical experience. Today, students can watch a surgeon carry out a procedure in another country, and the student can augment the live pictures, notes, diagrams, and references. AR is changing the way landscape of medical education for the benefit of the patients.
2) Enhances the treatment procedure
AR apps are improving the treatment procedure by chunking the traditional medical methods. Today, an AR app empowers a nurse to locate veins digitally, thereby reducing the need of using intravenous injections – a high percentage of such injections used to miss the spot. Furthermore, today the wearable technology is being integrated with AR to enable the blind people to read and improve their eyesight by adjusting the contrast on the devices.
3) Augmented reality will Increase effectiveness of marketing to patients
With AR, hospitals can empower patients to scan their drugs and instantly know about their features and benefits. By simply scanning the drug the patient can access the complete drug description and take an informed decision. It comes useful to resolve many issues because patients tend to throw away the packaging or the doctor’s prescription after some time. Furthermore, using the smart glasses, the healthcare sector can allow the patients to walk through different surgical processes and therapies.
The augmented reality genie has been released from the bottle, and it’s out to ensure a life-changing experience for the entire healthcare sector. Though the widespread implementation of AR in the healthcare sector is some years away, it has started to create ripples in the healthcare sector. Healthcare sector needs to strike while the iron is hot to leverage maximum benefits of this wonderful innovative technology.
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