Healthcare 4.0 has arrived, and it is evident that artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive technologies, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR), will play a pivotal role in the rapid changes occurring within the medical field.
Both the industry and healthcare providers (HCP) are embracing this transformative shift, beginning to test, learn, and expand solutions. Consequently, the global healthcare simulation market is anticipated to reach $7.23 billion by 2030.
In the domain of ophthalmology, simulation has long been recognized as an effective method for skill acquisition alongside various other training approaches. The advancement of this technology is accelerating in tandem with clinical demand.
This whitepaper acknowledges how leading entities, from medical technology and pharmaceutical innovators to international societies, are leveraging extended reality (XR) to revolutionize ophthalmic training, thereby driving both measurable and scalable commercial and clinical impact.
Insights gathered from practicing ophthalmologists reveal that 86% indicated they utilized immersive technology for surgical training within the past year, while 57% reported using it for patient education and therapy.
The same survey demonstrated that 71% of participants are employing the technology to enhance surgical precision and ergonomics, with 57% utilizing it to improve the acquisition of skills and credentialing in trainees.
Bringing these capabilities to the market is neither straightforward nor uncomplicated. Effectiveness necessitates comprehensive planning across value creation (ROI), change management, and solution development.
In this white paper, we will explore the implementation of immersive XR solutions, specifically within the field of ophthalmology.
We will guide you through the seven phases of the immersive simulation journey, examining the primary challenges and obstacles to adoption while also highlighting critical breakthrough moments, as recounted by end-users and our partners.
The Seven Stages of the Immersive Journey
The adoption of immersive solutions is not a singular occurrence but rather an extensive journey. Achieving success necessitates thorough planning and precise execution across three interconnected avenues: solution development, change management, and demonstrating value and ROI.
In a complex organization, if attention is directed toward all three throughout the journey, challenges can be more readily identified, and effective solutions can be promptly deployed. Ultimately, this fosters enhanced adoption, scalability, and optimization.
DEFINING VISION
“Simulation was the only means to expedite progress.”
The implementation journey commences with the establishment of a clear and strategic vision. The challenge at this phase often involves aligning innovation objectives with the imperative to demonstrate a proven ROI from the beginning. Success depends on defining a scope that harmonizes learning through innovation with a robust value framework.
For a strategy to be successful, it must ascertain how the innovative solution will yield enhanced results. This necessitates a comprehensive evaluation to identify inefficiencies and aspects that are primed for transformation within the existing framework.
Rather than attempting to accomplish too much too quickly, it is advisable to devise a sequence of steps that progressively align with the long-term strategic vision. This phased methodology will expedite the time-to-value while also facilitating quicker access for your product to users and customers.
Significant breakthroughs can transpire when corporate strategic priorities enable the essential investment for an innovation opportunity. Anticipate this to unfold in stages, aligning with milestones and proof points of value realization.
A prominent professional organization in the medical sector recognized an urgent need to hasten training for a critical procedure that addresses the primary cause of blindness in children. Given that conventional training methods were too constrained in terms of scalability and expediency, the organization made a strategic choice to invest in virtual reality simulation.
With a broader mission of enhancing outcomes and averting preventable harm, the organization’s vision for the solution encompassed the capacity to expand training modules for additional procedures in the future. In this instance, virtual reality simulation is pivotal in facilitating the democratization of ophthalmic knowledge.
REQUIREMENTS CAPTURE
"Without clinician endorsement from the beginning, even the most advanced technology remains merely an intriguing proof of concept."
Once the strategy is established, attention shifts to articulating detailed requirements. Each partner will have unique conditions and limitations. The challenge lies in pinpointing the optimal use case.
Defining the focus of the solution from the outset is critical to a successful journey. Establishing requirements, such as whether the solution will be entirely immersive (virtual reality) or facilitate a blended mixed reality experience, is vital for success.
Distinguishing whether a simulation is developed to comprehend the steps of a procedure or to provide comprehensive surgical skills training is a crucial differentiation. When the objective is surgical skills training, a higher fidelity solution will be necessary, with haptic feedback essential for ensuring the correct pressure and precision.
Attention should also remain on where technology can alleviate difficulties for end users and present the greatest potential for enhancements. The emphasis should be on what the simulation can accomplish in relation to elements that are complicated, costly, or hazardous in the real world. Breakthroughs are realized when clarity on commercial benefits is established, an authentic end user perspective is gathered, and a robust business case receives leadership endorsement.
The significance of a strong end user perspective cannot be overstated. Capturing this input occasionally entails transcending traditional practices and directly engaging with the healthcare professionals who will utilize the technology.
In the course of creating a surgical training simulator, a project team collaborated closely with a prominent surgeon during the initial construction phases.
This close partnership resulted in an enhanced comprehension of the desired haptics and facilitated the attainment of accurate resistance/friction values in real time. The surgeon's involvement in the simulation development not only heightened precision but also fostered trust, which will support future user adoption.
FORMULATING SOLUTIONS
“It has been observed that even inexperienced surgeons, through VR practice, achieve independence rapidly, and patient outcomes have improved while the time required by trainers in the operating room has diminished. "
With the specifications established, teams can now shift their focus to the solutions phase. The challenge may arise from not entirely understanding how end users will engage with, utilize, and incorporate the immersive solution into their educational frameworks. A proven method to mitigate this uncertainty is to adopt an agile and iterative development approach, providing clients with enhanced transparency throughout the process.
Teams can supply VR equipment and regular interim versions to Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), facilitating early "road tests" of solutions and creating opportunities to refine interactions for greater accuracy in real-world applications.
One medical association that chose a collaborative approach conducted weekly development review calls with their KOLs throughout the solution development phase.
These discussions were employed to refine every aspect of their simulator, meticulously examining each feature and aligning it with their educational goals. This engaged methodology ensured that the final product was not only technically proficient but also clinically effective for the needs of the end user.
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