Why is VR emerging as a leading new healthcare technology?

Virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) are rapidly changing healthcare, offering new ways to improve how care is delivered. From accelerating medical training and enhancing patient treatment to transforming surgical procedures – the technology is unlocking big shifts in the industry.

VR healthcare technology arrives at a crucial time. The industry faces pressing challenges, such as ongoing global staff shortages, overworked clinicians and slower digital adoption compared to other sectors.¹ Many organisations still rely on old ways of working – from manual processes to fax machines.

Furthermore, due to the current rate of change, patients now expect more personalised, convenient, tech-enabled care. This is encouraging the healthcare industry to adopt more digital health solutions. It's no wonder that, according to a commissioned study by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Meta in April 2025, 69% of healthcare decision-makers plan to expand their use of VR within the next two years.²

Here, we explore the potential areas where VR/MR could make a difference for the future of healthcare.

Driving better services with VR technology in healthcare

VR allows clinicians to visualise complex anatomy and conduct advanced training in safe environments. These capabilities enable better decision-making and innovation throughout the medical journey. For instance, surgeons can rehearse intricate operations multiple times using detailed 3D holographic models, honing their skills without any risk to a live patient.

VR/MR platforms such as Osso VR, PrecisionOS and Medicalholodeck allow surgeons to practise complex procedures virtually. These tools offer realistic simulations, helping medical professionals fine-tune their abilities and train with confidence. This leads to reduced error rates, avoids harm and minimises costs.

For broader clinical training and patient care, Oxford Medical Simulations and VR Patients provide interactive tools that help healthcare staff improve diagnoses, patient communication and decision-making in various medical situations. This includes everything from practising surgical techniques to complex drug assembly and simpler tasks such as taking blood. Immersive simulations also unlock experiences that deepen patient empathy, providing a safe space to experience how the level of care can vary from patient to patient.

Reducing risk with VR innovation in healthcare

Healthcare environments are complex. Risks can stem from clinical procedures, technology integration, workforce shortages and operational pressures. Reducing human error, especially in high-risk areas such as surgery, is vital for improving patient outcomes and minimising harm.

This is where VR can help. It gives clinicians and staff an immersive, hands-on training experience in a safe, controlled environment. They can practise complicated procedures using virtual reality medical training, respond to high-risk scenarios and learn new, intricate medical equipment without putting real patients in danger. This approach helps cut down on potential errors where it matters most.

Crucially, VR allows for consistent, objective training for everyone. Clinicians can repeat scenarios as often as they need to, making sure that they've mastered critical protocols and reducing how much performance can vary – vital for patient safety. But it's also key for handling unpredictable scenarios: in a 2025 meta-analysis of VR in nursing education, researchers noted that immersive simulations expose students to "complex or rare clinical scenarios", allowing them to practise responses in a controlled environment.³

Beyond technical skills, VR/MR-based training can also deepen understanding of the larger reasons behind patient safety issues, fostering a culture of open reporting and continuous improvement within healthcare teams.

Forrester Consulting research shows that leaders recognise this impact. 75% anticipate a positive impact on reducing risk and 76% believe VR helps them train employees for dangerous situations in a low-risk environment. Additionally, 69% believe that VR helps reduce the risk of errors in a low-risk environment.⁴

Improving training outcomes with VR in healthcare

The stakes are high in healthcare training. Patient safety depends on it, new technologies demand new skills, and learning and development safeguards the financial and reputational health of the entire industry. Without strong training programmes in place, the healthcare industry risks significant issues. For example, the NCLEX-RN nurse exam in the US sees approximately a 20% fail rate, which directly affects the critical nursing workforce shortage.⁵

VR/MR offers a solution: learning by doing. This builds confidence, ensuring that medical professionals are ready for complex scenarios. It can also deepen empathy, providing practitioners with a safe space to experience how factors such as gender and socioeconomic status can influence patient care.

These aren't just theoretical benefits. Research from Forrester Consulting shows that leaders are seeing the impact of immersive technologies on training today. 70% of leaders report that VR helps employees engage with training content. But these benefits also extend beyond the short term: 77% anticipate a positive impact on employee experience, with 74% believing that the technology will help grow employee retention over time.⁶

An example of this in action is Purdue Global. Facing a national nursing shortage, its School of Nursing adopted VR. Using realistic clinical learning programmes with Meta Quest headsets, it's now able to equip graduates with the skills, knowledge and assurance to immediately begin working effectively and safely in a clinical setting. Purdue has supported over 4,000 graduate nurses through VR, and seen a 10-15% increase in the national nursing exam pass rate.

Another example is Singapore's Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI), which brought in Meta Quest headsets to provide more realistic simulation training for its 6S "Lean" principles, which aim to help its staff reduce waste. The headsets created a risk-free environment to apply Lean principles, allowing teams to practise identifying and eliminating unnecessary steps in processes, such as taking blood. The success was resounding: 100% of participants agreed that VR deepened their understanding of Lean knowledge.

Driving faster learning with VR healthcare innovation

Training is critical for a high-performing healthcare workforce, but it can be time-consuming and expensive. On average, employees received 57 hours of training per year across all industries in the US in 2023.⁷ Additionally, audited clinical training costs can cost up to USD 16,542 per trainee.⁸ VR/MR offers a compelling path to accelerate learning, enhance skill-sharing and improve cost efficiency.

Speed was of the essence when Pfizer needed to roll out the manufacturing of its COVID-19 vaccination. Faced with urgent global demand and limited access to production lines during the pandemic, Pfizer created digital twins and VR/MR training modules. This innovative approach allowed it to quickly upskill hundreds of new operators.

Nicholas Hockley, Manager of Smart Factory Technology at Pfizer, stated that traditional training "was taking six to eight months, mainly due to challenges with access to the production line". With MR/VR training, Pfizer achieved 40-60% time savings on behavioural aseptic training compared to traditional methods, enabling the pharmaceutical company to meet critical manufacturing targets for the vaccine.

Enhancing visualisation and planning with VR innovation in healthcare

VR is transforming how medical professionals interact with information, turning abstract data into immersive, interactive visualisations. As research from Carle Illinois College of Medicine shows, VR/MR in healthcare is increasingly used for surgical planning and practice – creating intuitive, interactive models that improve comprehension and decision-making across clinical workflows.⁹

Forrester Consulting research highlights the significant impact of VR visualisations – 75% of leaders report they make training and onboarding more realistic. Looking ahead, the potential is even clearer: 81% anticipate future use cases for visual models and instructions for specific tasks, regardless of employee tenure.¹⁰

Get in touch with Meta for Work

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Keep reading about working in mixed reality (MR):

What is the best VR headset for work?
Four companies using VR/MR in healthcare
Six innovations shaping the future of work

Sources

1. Deloitte, "2025 global health care outlook", 29 January 2025
2. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Meta, April 2025. Base: 108 decision-makers involved in learning and development technology decisions in healthcare and life sciences organisations in North America and Europe.
3. Guillen-Aguinaga L., Rayón-Valpuesta E., Guillen-Aguinaga S., et al. Mixed Reality in Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Benefits and Challenges. Published April 2025. doi:10.3390/nursrep15050137
4. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Meta, April 2025. Base: 108 decision-makers involved in learning and development technology decisions in healthcare and life sciences organisations in North America and Europe.
5. NCSBN, 2024 NCLEX Pass Rates.
6. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Meta, April 2025. Base: 108 decision-makers involved in learning and development technology decisions in healthcare and life sciences organisations in North America and Europe.
7. Training Mag, '2023 Training Industry Report', Nov 2023
8. ELM Learning, 'How much does employee training really cost?', Feb 2022
9. Carle Illinois College of Medicine, "Augmented Reality Transforming Medical Processes CI MED Research Shows", Jan 2025
10. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Meta, April 2025. Base: 108 decision-makers involved in learning and development technology decisions in healthcare and life sciences organisations in North America and Europe.