Use of Extended Reality in Medicine During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

AbstractThe ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has generated a strong impetus to digitalize the economy and aspects of our daily life. Clinical medicine traditionally being conservative has seen a limited uptake of these new technologies which has seen widespread adoption in other industries. But due to disruptive nature of the pandemic, clinical medicine has also been forced to adapt and capitalize on these new technologies. Chief amongst them is the utilization of extended reality (XR) technologies, which is an umbrella term that encompasses a spectrum of virtual reality (VR) and Augmented reality (AR) devices that blend the physical world with the digital world. VR technologies immerses users in 3D worlds while AR technologies project 3D objects into the user’s physical environment while permitting full visibility of the user’s surroundings. XR technologies can assist in infection control measures by revolutionizing clinical ward rounds. Patient’s key blood results and vitals can be projected above each patient enhancing the speed of clinical ward rounds for large number of patient’s in community isolation facilities. Examination findings can then be dictated and automatically recorded. XR technologies can also assist clinicians during the planning and execution of highly infective/risky procedures. XR can help proceduralists simulate the procedure, limiting timing spent during the actual procedure. While XR guided robots can actually perform the high risk and delicate procedures, limiting infection risk for the proceduralist. XR technologies can overcome the disruption caused clinical education due to Covid-19 pandemic infection control measures. They can help simulate patient interaction/ clinical scenarios for medical students while keeping both patient and medical students safe from infection. Covid-19 has also generated much psychosocial distress due to the isolation stemming from infection control. XR technologies can be used to help bridge the psychosocial isolation by connecting patients with their family members, hobbies or home towns. This can be especially therapeutic when counselling patients that suffer pandemic related depression/anxiety. Particularly in palliative patients XR technologies can help simulate experiences that would be physically impossible for them.KeywordsNext generation clinical servicesXR enhanced clinical educationXR augmented mental healthPalliative telemedicine