VR used to be a new thing in movies and games, but now it’s one of the most significant things in medical today. Doctors and nurses can use VR to look at anatomy, do surgeries, help individuals with mental health problems, deal with chronic pain, and even teach patients in ways that are safer, cheaper, and a lot more fun.
Not just as an idea, but VR is already being used in healthcare. According to Lucid Reality Labs, the healthcare VR market will be worth $6.2 billion by 2027, with a growth rate of 30.3% per year. The surge is because to better hardware, more AI use, better motion tracking, and more accurate haptic feedback.
This transition happened at a very significant time for healthcare systems all across the world. There aren’t enough competent staff, the facilities are full, the patients want more, and the surgeries are getting harder. Because of all of this, we need technology that can grow, is safe, and can change. VR meets this requirement by linking thought and action.
This long essay uses real-life examples, peer-reviewed evidence, and expert opinion to look at the finest new concepts in VR healthcare. It also meets EEAT criteria, so doctors, administrators, academics, and healthcare entrepreneurs may all be guaranteed that it is accurate and reliable.
1. Preparing for and training for surgery
1.1 Training to be accurate in situations that are immersive
It can take a long time to undergo traditional surgical training, it costs a lot of money for cadavers, and it can be dangerous. Osso VR, FundamentalVR, and Touch Surgery are some of the companies that produce surgical simulations that use VR. These simulations show trainees how to execute difficult procedures without ever touching a patient. These systems combine haptic feedback, realistic anatomy, and interactive scoring to give a score to a surgeon.
A research in the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation in 2023 looked at neurosurgeon trainees utilizing Osso VR platforms. They showed that these residents did 25% better in surgery and made 30% fewer major mistakes than a control group that trained in a more traditional way.
You can also execute high-risk, low-frequency therapies like endovascular aneurysm repair in VR without any complications in real life. This helps you remember things, stay aware of what’s going on around you, and think critically.
1.2 3D anatomy and looking at things before the operation
Doctors may now use imaging data, such MRI and CT scans, to generate incredibly realistic 3D models of a patient’s body that they can see in virtual reality. This has made it a lot easier to get ready for the procedure.
Heart specialists at Cedars-Sinai reported that using VR models before surgery coupled with regular 2D scans made the surgery 15% faster and less likely to run into problems. Before the real surgery, the VR plans let them practice cutting, putting in implants, and finding their way via blood vessels.
Being able to “walk through” tumors in 3D makes surgeries for cancer, including brain surgery or prostate cancer surgery, more precise and gives better results.
2. Getting rid of discomfort and getting back on your feet
2.1 Immersion-based distraction therapy
VR is an excellent way to deal with pain without taking medicines. It works by turning on the brain’s circuits for seeing and paying attention, which makes the patient forget about the pain signals. More and more burn wards, cancer treatment facilities, and even dental clinics are using this procedure.
When burn victims at Stanford University changed their dressings, they felt 30% less agony when they were in virtual reality settings like snowy landscapes or underwater worlds than when they utilized more usual ways to distract themselves.
2.2 VR for Rehabilitation at a Distance
A number of patients who have experienced strokes, spinal cord injuries, or musculoskeletal diseases can get better with VR-based therapy. With technologies like MindMotion, XRHealth, and KarunaVR, patients may work out in pleasant VR settings. This keeps them on target and helps them get better faster.
In 2024, a review in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders said that 80% of people with lower limb disorders became a lot better when they used VR instead of normal physical treatment.
Doctors may check on their patients from a distance, modify the complexity of their workouts, and observe when they are doing anything wrong in real time thanks to AI integration.
3. Take care of your mental health and any neuropsychiatric problems you may have.
3.1 Therapy through virtual exposure
When you utilize exposure treatment to treat anxiety disorders, PTSD, and phobias, it can be hard on your feelings and hard to plan for. Virtual reality helps with this by creating controlled simulations of the things that make the patient anxious. This helps therapists safely and slowly get the patient used to things.
A research in The Lancet Psychiatry that changed everything discovered that those with phobias, such acrophobia and arachnophobia, had 85% fewer symptoms after just six VR sessions.
Many veterans have used VR to help them deal with PTSD. Bravemind at USC is one of many programs that employ war simulations to assist people deal with memories from bad things that happened to them.
3.2 Using avatars to aid people with schizophrenia
Avatar Therapy is altering how VR is used to help people with schizophrenia. Patients deal with their issues by talking to avatars that look like the things they perceive. A randomized control trial indicated that people who didn’t get cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) experienced 50% fewer symptoms.
People who use these kinds of therapies can better handle their emotions, feel more in control, and modify how they think about their psychosis.
4. Getting patients to learn and care about what you’re teaching
4.1 Learning about illness by being totally involved in it
Patients often have trouble comprehending what doctors mean when they talk about diagnosis, therapy, or other treatment options. HealthVoyager and Medicalholodeck are two VR modules that make learning interesting. For instance, patients can “walk through” arteries, observe how insulin works in persons with diabetes, or examine how cancer affects organs.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that patients who learned about their therapies in virtual reality were 40% more likely to stick with them. Ninety percent felt it was better than brochures.
4.2 VR to Help with Anxiety Before Surgery
A lot of kids and old individuals are really scared before they have surgery. Virtual reality tours of the operating room, the tools, and the people that work there make the whole procedure less intimidating.
Children’s hospitals who apply these procedures indicate that kids’ anxiety before surgery decreased decreased by 25%. This not only helps individuals feel better, but it also makes it more likely that the anesthesia will work.
5. Working together from a distance and using telemedicine
5.1 Virtual Telepresence for Meetings
Telehealth only works on 2D screens, while VR lets individuals be in the same virtual location. By looking at how people walk, stand, and smile, doctors and patients may talk to one other in 3D.
XRHealth and other platforms use virtual reality (VR) and wearable biosensors to watch for changes in behavior, vital signs, and neurological disorders. This helps neurologists or physiatrists do full evaluations from a distance.
5.2 Virtual Rounds with Other People
At Johns Hopkins’ ICU, teams use VR to visit patients with people from different fields. No matter where they are, they may all see the same patient photographs, vital signs, and surgical plans. These technologies have made it easier for people from diverse areas to work together, and they have decreased the time it takes to make clinical choices by 30%.
6. The operating room and the process operate nicely together.
6.1 Use of tools more effectively
It’s crucial to be able to swiftly discover and organize surgical tools in busy operating rooms. Nurses and scrub workers can use ExperienceX and other AR/VR overlay tools to discover, arrange, and put equipment where it needs to be in real time.
This device shortened the time it took to get tools at Cromwell Hospital by 20%, which sped up the whole process in the operating room and cut down on delays.
6.2 AR for Real-Time Surgical Data
Surgeons can utilize Apple Vision Pro, Microsoft HoloLens, or Vuzix AR glasses to maintain an eye on vital signs, imaging, and AI decision help overlays during surgeries without losing focus.
This made surgery at UC San Diego Health 15% less distracting, which helped the surgeon stay focused and kept the patient safe.
7. Putting AI together with radiology and diagnostics
7.1 3D Radiological Interpretation
When experts use traditional radiography, they can only operate with 2D slices. It is simpler to find the edges of tumors, blood arteries, and other things in space when CT and MRI scans are turned into 3D images.
Radiologists who employed VR-based 3D systems to locate malignancies, aneurysms, and spinal injuries did so 30% faster than with previous methods.
7.2 Get help with Smart VR
Some VR worlds have AI bots built in that help with:
- Picking a protocol
- Help in making decisions (like BI-RADS scores)
- Improving workflows
- Checklists with reminders
Massachusetts General Hospital and other hospitals discovered that these assistants helped participants follow the guidelines 10% better and made fewer mistakes on their first tests.
8. Using VR to make prototypes and plan medical devices
8.1 Testing and improving prototypes in a way that makes sense
Medical technology businesses utilize VR to test things before they invest a lot of money on clinical studies.
- How simple it is to use gadgets
- Speaking with patients
- How simple it is to use in the office
Siemens Healthineers and other companies decreased the time it needed to make modifications to prototypes in half by testing them first in virtual clinics and then in the real world.
8.2 Virtual Clinical Trials
VR enables stakeholders pretend to give medicine, interact with wearables, and even make sure users follow the rules instead of testing on real people in the early stages. This could soon be the standard approach to judge usability and shape.
9. What will happen next?
- Haptics: In the disciplines of surgical training and pain rehabilitation, there are currently gloves and bodysuits that deliver feedback through touch.
- Metaverse Healthcare Hubs: Virtual reality clinics that aren’t operated by a single company might give consumers around the world second opinions and teleconsultations in real time.
- AI-Generated VR Therapy: Using AI to improve cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy for each patient.
- 5G-Powered Mobile VR: Get real-time, high-quality VR experiences in regions where there isn’t much or any infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Q1. What do hospitals use VR for these days? Hospitals use VR to train surgeons, plan surgeries, assist patients heal, deal with chronic pain, and support people with mental health issues. More and more individuals are using it in pediatric care to help youngsters feel less worried, in telemedicine for virtual rounds, and in patient education to help them better grasp their diagnosis and treatments.
Q2. Is it safe for everyone, even youngsters and older people, to use VR? As long as people use and watch VR correctly, it is safe for people of all ages. But if you use it for a long time or don’t calibrate it right, you could have motion sickness, nausea, or eye strain. Most hospitals only let people use the devices for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, and they modify the settings based on how comfortable the person is.
Q3. What are some of the benefits of using VR for training and rehab instead of more traditional methods? With VR, you can do engaging, hands-on things in a safe place. You can practice as much as you want and get feedback right now. It helps people stay interested in and dedicated to therapy. Patients are frequently more motivated when they utilize VR, and doctors can keep better track of results and get information that is specific to each patient.
Q4. Can VR help people quit taking drugs like opioids? Yes. Some studies have found that cognitive behavioral therapy and virtual reality-based distraction therapy can aid with pain by making it feel 30–50% less severe. This means that you might not require as many opioids or sedatives. It won’t replace all of your medications, but it will make them work better.
Q5. Do insurance companies cover VR? Different insurance providers and places of residency offer different levels of coverage. If a doctor thinks they are essential, some Medicare Advantage and commercial insurance companies in the U.S. will pay for VR-based pain management or telerehabilitation programs. Several national health authorities in Europe are trying to figure out how to pay for new digital health technologies.
Q6: How safe is the patient information on VR platforms? In the US, HIPAA and in the EU, GDPR are two laws that the finest VR platforms for healthcare comply. Data is often stored on secure servers, encrypted from end to end, and made anonymous so that it can be looked at. Always check to see if the VR company is following the rules for medical data in your location.
Q7. What kinds of experts make and take care of medical VR systems? A lot of the time, people from different fields work together to make VR tools for medicine. These are the groups:
- People that make software
- People that make UX and UI
- People who work as medical consultants, such surgeons and psychologists
- People that know a lot about AI and ML
- People who know a lot about laws and rules
These professionals collaborate with hospitals, research institutions, and new medical technology companies to make sure that the technology is safe and works in the real world.
Q8. Can you use VR in places that don’t have a lot of resources, like the country? Yes. 5G, cloud computing, and standalone headsets like the Meta Quest 3 and Pico Neo are making VR easier to use and more available in places with bad internet. It allows experts see patients without having to go to the hospital.
🔚 The end
Virtual reality isn’t something that will happen in the future; it’s happening right now and transforming how healthcare works in terms of training, diagnosis, treatment, and talking to patients. VR has made it possible for people to get individualized, immersive, and effective care that they couldn’t get before. For instance, it can help a new surgeon practice fake brain surgery, a PTSD patient deal with their trauma in a secure place, or a child see inside their heart before surgery.
VR is powerful not only because it’s so advanced, but also because it can make healthcare more personal. It provides patients more control over their care, gives professionals better tools, and fills in gaps in education and access.
To get the most out of VR, healthcare institutions need to pay attention to the following:
- Validation in the clinic
- Safety for users
- Protecting data
- Access across social and economic lines
- Working together in many different areas
As gear gets lighter, cheaper, and smarter, and as AI integration gets deeper, VR will no longer be an option; it will be critical for providing high-quality, data-driven, compassionate healthcare.
In five to ten years, VR might be as crucial to healthcare as MRI machines and stethoscopes are now.
References
- Lucid Reality Labs. “Top 6 Healthcare Technology Trends in 2025.” Lucid Reality Labs Blog, January 2025. https://lucidrealitylabs.com/blog/top-6-healthcare-technology-trends-in-2025 lucidrealitylabs.com
- Kiani, S., et al. “Technical Aspects of Virtual Augmented Reality-Based Rehabilitation Systems for Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Lower Limbs: A Systematic Review.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2023. https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06543-2 Wikipedia
- Ceradini, M., et al. “Immersive VR for Upper-Extremity Rehabilitation in Patients with Neurological Disorders: A Scoping Review.” Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 2024. https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-024-01023-4 Wikipedia
- Craig, T.K.J., et al. “Avatar Therapy for Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in People with Psychosis: A Single-Blind, Randomised Controlled Trial.” The Lancet Psychiatry, January 2018. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(18)30081-0/fulltext Wikipedia
- “AR/VR’s Potential in Health Care.” Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, June 2, 2025. https://itif.org/publications/2025/06/02/arvrs-potential-in-health-care/ ITIF
- “Why Surgeons Are Wearing the Apple Vision Pro in Operating Rooms.” Time, October 2024. https://time.com/7093536/surgeons-apple-vision-pro/ TIME
- “Optimizing Operating Theaters.” Time, August 2024. https://time.com/7094558/exex-experiencex/ TIME
- “Virtual Reality in Telerehabilitation.” Wikipedia, July 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality_in_telerehabilitation Wikipedia