How Do Patients Benefit From Virtual Reality Simulated Training?

Virtual reality simulated training provides a virtual environment¹ where surgeons can practice techniques. Medical professionals use virtual reality to perform training and demonstrations and plan operations in a risk-free space. This technology also benefits patients directly and indirectly. Learn how virtual reality training for surgeons offers multiple advantages to patients.

New Innovations Through Virtual Reality Training for Surgeons

The virtual reality space gives medical professionals a place to test new techniques² while using minimal physical resources. Surgeons can repeat the same procedures as many times as they like to further develop their skills.

Since virtual reality doesn’t involve a patient or cadaver, the user can experiment with techniques without worry of harm. Virtual reality simulations offer risk-free operating environments for exploring new tools and procedures.

Virtual Reality Simulated Training Benefits Accuracy and Performance

Research demonstrates that virtual reality can improve surgical performance by as much as 230 percent³. As a result, patients benefit from better procedure results. These factors could contribute to more accurate surgeries through virtual reality training:

• Preoperative planning: Surgeons can use virtual reality to more effectively plan for complicated procedures in advance.
• Increased training opportunities: Residents get more opportunities to practice surgery through virtual reality because it uses few physical resources.
• Improved responses to complex situations: Virtual reality can simulate niche procedures and emergencies that require a prompt response.

Save Time With Virtual Reality Simulated Training

A study also suggests that virtual reality simulation training can increase operation speed by as much as 20 percent³. When a doctor performs an operation faster, they can keep a patient under anesthesia for a shorter time. Reduced time under anesthesia provides benefits such as⁴:

• Shortened recovery time: Research indicates that prolonged anesthesia use can put a patient at risk of an increased length of stay. With a shorter time under anesthesia, patients can recover faster.
• Fewer days in the hospital: A shorter time in recovery often results in fewer days required in the hospital. As a result, patients have more time to spend with friends and family as they recover.
• Reduced complications: Shorter anesthesia durations also seem to result in a lower risk of complications after surgery. With fewer complications, the patient can spend more time outside of the operating room.

Potential Cost Savings Passed Down Through Virtual Reality Training

Hospitals lower their long-term costs through virtual reality training, and those savings are potentially passed on to the patient. Virtual reality training reduces the hospital’s need for practice cadavers, which cost thousands of dollars each⁵. With a virtual reality simulation, the user has the ability to repeat a specific step or a surgery limitless times, whereas this is not possible with a cadaver.

Request a Virtual Reality Medical Simulation From Ghost Productions

Training through virtual reality allows medical professionals to render better aid to their patients. Request custom virtual reality training by contacting our team online⁶.

Resources

1. Medical VR and Surgical Simulations in Virtual Reality. Ghost Productions. /medical-vr-virtual-reality/. Accessed October 22, 2019.

2. Agha RA, Fowler AJ. The Role and Validity of Surgical Simulation. International Surgery. 2015;100(2):350-357. doi:10.9738/intsurg-d-14-00004.1.

3. Allen D. Osso VR Expands Its Reach, Shares Study Results. MDDI Online. https://www.mddionline.com/osso-vr-expands-its-reach-shares-study-results. Published August 7, 2019. Accessed October 22, 2019.

4. Phan K, Kim JS, Kim JH, et al. Anesthesia Duration as an Independent Risk Factor for Early Postoperative Complications in Adults Undergoing Elective ACDF. Global Spine Journal. 2017;7(8):727-734. doi:10.1177/2192568217701105.

5. LaMantia J. Medical residents can now practice virtual operations before they ever touch a live patient. Crain’s New York Business. https://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20180820/FEATURES/180819919/medical-residents-can-now-practice-virtual-operations-before-they-ever-touch-a-live-patient. Published August 20, 2018. Accessed October 22, 2019.

6. Contact Ghost Productions Today – Start a Medical Animation Project. Ghost Productions. /contact/. Accessed October 22, 2019.

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