Four companies using VR/MR in healthcare

Meta Quest is transforming healthcare worldwide – from speeding up medical innovations to improving training effectiveness. Results show that virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) helps prepare newly qualified health professionals for real-life scenarios and enhances patient care and outcomes.

Here are four pioneering examples of VR/MR in healthcare:

1. LifeArc: Transforming drug design

Medical research charity LifeArc used VR/MR to transform processes and develop more effective drug-like designs. Before introducing VR/MR, their chemists relied on intuition and memory, spending valuable time conceptualising designs to visualise finished molecules. Using Meta Quest and the Nanome app, the team created immersive 3D molecular models. The technology improved the chemists' spatial awareness between molecules and their targets.

Chemists in different locations could co-create from the same virtual room, looking from the same viewpoint. This approach streamlined communication ideas around complex 3D structures, enabling the LifeArc team to work more efficiently in their mission to change patients' lives.

Read how Meta Quest is changing the way LifeArc conducts experiments

2. Pfizer: Training for drug manufacturing with MR

While manufacturing its COVID-19 vaccine at scale, Pfizer created a virtual replica of its production lines and VR/MR training modules. This is an example of how companies can streamline production with mixed reality in medicine.

Using the new suite of virtual training apps, Pfizer created an immersive and hands-on learning experience, reducing the time it takes to train operators by over 40%.¹ This sped up the manufacturing process, enabling the company to create over 4.5 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by 2022.²

VR/MR training also helped maintain a sterile production line. Pfizer used Meta Quest's haptic and hand speed tracking to train staff on aseptic techniques, ensuring that the environment wasn't compromised.

Read how VR helped Pfizer manufacture billions of doses of its Covid-19 vaccine

3. Centre for Healthcare Innovation: Improving patient care

The Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI), hosted at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore, used VR/MR to significantly improve training. CHI moved its existing learning system into a VR/MR module, receiving positive responses from 100% of employees who participated in the pilot.³

CHI created specialised simulations including visual, audio and tactile elements to engage the senses. The VR/MR medical training also featured game segments to prevent cognitive overload and avatars based on real team members for a personal touch.

The immersive training helped CHI promote a high level of safety and productivity in the workplace. Employees reported the tailored virtual reality modules helped to deepen their knowledge.

Read how CHI created simulations catered to different types of learners

4. Purdue Global: Addressing a nursing shortage

Purdue Global introduced Meta Quest into its nurse training courses to fill a nationwide skills gap in the US. They supported approximately 4,000 graduate nurses through their VR/MR healthcare learning programmes, achieving a 10-15% increase in pass rates for the exam to become registered nurses.⁴

Since introducing VR/MR for healthcare simulation training, Purdue Global has seen substantial increases in students' confidence levels and preparedness for real-life situations.

A future goal is to increase career fulfilment, boosting long-term retention among nurses.

Read how Purdue Global made VR/MR headsets a core part of its nursing curriculum

Get in touch with Meta for Work

Discover how Meta Horizon managed solutions can scale your organisation with virtual and mixed reality. Learn how you can use VR and MR to build the future of work and education with our success stories. Getting started is easy, please

Keep reading about working in mixed reality (MR):

How mixed reality is accelerating healthcare
How VR is transforming mental health support
What's the difference between AR, VR and MR?
Using VR to train for the automotive mechanics trade

Sources

1. "Developing a global vaccine with the help of a digital twin" Meta, accessed on 5 June 2024, https://forwork.meta.com/gb/case-studies/how-vr-tech-boosted-pfizers-covid-response/.
2. "Working To Make COVID-19 Vaccines Accessible to Everyone, Everywhere" Pfizer, accessed on 5 June 2024, https://www.pfizer.com/science/coronavirus/vaccine/working-to-reach-everyone-everywhere.
3. "Using VR to make healthcare training more efficient" Meta, accessed on 5 June 2024, https://forwork.meta.com/case-studies/chi-scaling-vr-simulation-training-with-quest-headsets/.
4. "Purdue Global and VR: How a nursing school is addressing a national crisis through VR training" Meta, accessed on 5 June 2024, https://forwork.meta.com/case-studies/purdue-global-vr-nursing-training/.