Healthcare Enters the VR Era: What You Need to Know

In this day and age, healthcare decisions are oftentimes shaped by digital experiences. Think remote consultations, interactive education tools, reviewing test results, and scheduling appointments. For clinicians, the challenging part is making complex information clear enough to use in real practice, especially under constant time pressure. That’s why immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality are drawing attention: they promise a more “learn-by-seeing” way to understand anatomy, procedures, and disease mechanisms than static materials can offer.

At the same time, immersion should not be mistaken for reality. As UCLA professor Mayank Mehta notes:

The pattern of activity in a brain region involved in spatial learning in the virtual world is completely different than when it processes activity in the real world.

This matters in healthcare, where training and comprehension need to transfer into patient care. So before discussing use cases or benefits, it’s worth starting with the basics: what virtual reality in healthcare actually is, and what makes it different from other digital tools.

What is Virtual Reality in Healthcare? 

Let’s start with what VR is. Most people associate it with video games, but the core idea is broader than entertainment.

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that uses a headset to place a person inside a fully digital, computer-generated environment. Instead of looking at something on a screen, the user is surrounded by the experience and can often interact with it.

Over the past decade, VR hardware became far more accessible and widely demoed, driven by devices such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Gear VR, and even simpler viewers like Google Cardboard. Since then, VR has become a familiar presence at medical conventions, conferences, and live events, largely because it creates a strong “in the moment” effect.

At this point, virtual reality technology in healthcare can be easily confused with augmented reality (AR), because both involve digital content. But VR and AR are significantly different.

VR aims to detach a person from the real world by replacing their surroundings with a virtual environment.

AR keeps you in the real world and adds digital elements on top of what you already see. With AR, you stay in a physical space with added virtual information, which can support real-world tasks without removing the user from the environment.

Still, we will focus more on the application of virtual reality in healthcare. So what does it offer?

Benefits of VR in Medicine 

The healthcare market is growing, and the pharmaceutical sector will be constantly updated with new VR ideas and solutions, improving medical education and patients’ procedures of treatment. Here are some of the benefits VR use has to offer right now.

Reduced patient anxiety

A good example is patients becoming so engrossed in medical VR games that they barely feel the sting of a needle or the insertion of an IV. Additionally, using VR helps patients overcome the fear of dental care, or even stop fearing altogether, due to the decreased pain.

Customizable experiences

For both patients and doctors, VR technology offers a wide range of customization opportunities. Virtual simulations can be adapted to the topic being studied or the therapy selected, and settings can be adjusted to suit users wearing VR headsets.

Better outcomes for healthcare professionals

According to one study, surgeons demonstrated an improvement in their surgical skills upon completion of VR training, a finding that can be applied to medical students across all fields where VR is used in training programs. In a computer-generated environment, doctors can safely train and practice their skills.

Limitless possibilities for future research

Pharmaceutical research doesn’t have to be limited to laboratories. With VR, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the effects of various drugs on patients, as well as learn more about patients’ behavior in different settings.

Risk reduction

When a scenario is examined thoroughly from different angles and tested multiple times, the risk of harm and failure is significantly reduced. For doctors, working with a virtual patient before treating a real one provides an opportunity to prepare for a broad range of potential challenges.

What’s Driving VR’s Rapid Rise in Healthcare? 

While many new technologies are being adopted across industries, virtual reality stands out in particular. Initially developed primarily for entertainment, VR is now considered one of the most promising fields in modern medicine. VR in healthcare extends beyond head-mounted displays, encompassing motion tracking, immersive technologies, and 3D simulations that enhance patient outcomes and increase the effectiveness of doctor training programs.

In 2024, the global virtual reality in healthcare market was estimated at USD 5.62 billion and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 30.3% through 2030. Demand for VR continues to rise as hospitals, educational facilities, and individual healthcare professionals discover new ways to integrate it into their workflows. These applications are already demonstrating a positive impact on patient health and treatment effectiveness, positioning VR as a crucial component of healthcare in the years ahead.

Key Applications of VR in Healthcare

How is VR used right now in healthcare? Surprisingly, there are numerous ways in which it improves the quality of healthcare delivered on both sides. Here are some examples:

Medical training and surgical simulations

Modern medical universities like George Washington University are implementing VR into learning and medical training for real neurosurgery and thoracic surgery. VR enables the creation and exploration of an operating room with a model of a patient’s brain and body before performing a procedure. It significantly improves the awareness of doctors performing surgery, patients undergoing surgical procedures, and even their families, who can better understand the procedures ahead of time.

Pain management and physical rehabilitation 

Did you know that your brain doesn’t differentiate between real and fake? We must look for additional triggers and questions to identify whether something is true. Meanwhile, our brain always lives “between worlds,” easily mixing the real world with imaginary stuff and not caring to discover what is what. Does it sound unpleasant to you?

Either way, it works perfectly for such medical purposes as pain management. Thomas Caruso, MD, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, states:

Pain is a perception that’s coupled to your attention, mood, and emotions.

It means that if a patient’s mind can be less focused on the unpleasant nuances of treatment, they are more likely to feel less pain, significantly influencing the therapy.

Mental health treatment and therapy 

From exposure therapy for treating phobias and anxiety to immersive technologies for a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, VR simulations can help cope with difficult mental health disorders. There is still a lack of research to support the effectiveness of the use of the VR system in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with mental health issues. Virtual reality can provide the safe space needed to cope with various problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and others, while also promoting relaxation, mindfulness, and positive well-being.

Patient education and pre-surgery preparation 

VR solutions offer both doctors and patients a safe and immersive experience. Instead of relying on simple reading materials or presentations, which often fail to deliver the calming or educational impact you might expect consistently, VR-based patient education creates an immersive environment to explain treatment processes, guide patients through surgical procedures, and demonstrate correct pre- and post-treatment care using powerful visual stimuli.

Remote care and telemedicine support 

Research confirms that VR has the potential to play a significant role in supporting patients in remote locations by enabling health assessments through technology. With the use of virtual reality in healthcare, doctors can provide immediate assistance to patients who have difficulty moving or who live far away. For too long, healthcare has remained inaccessible, particularly due to the high costs of doctor visits and hospital travel. With telehealth and VR, it is easier to get the help needed.

How to Use Virtual Reality in Healthcare

In modern healthcare, the use of VR is being adopted to help patients and doctors achieve better outcomes in treatments, including surgery, physical and cognitive rehabilitation, pain management, mental health issues, and other areas.

VR-based mobile app 

mHealth plays a crucial role in the healthcare industry, with numerous apps experiencing rapid growth due to their flexibility and ease of use. By creating an app that integrates with a virtual headset, companies can develop customized solutions for both doctors and patients, encompassing various treatments, training modules, health-related activities, and other features.

According to recent research, virtual reality-based mHealth applications have the potential to enhance healthcare professionals’ skills and attitudes, including increased confidence, preparedness, awareness of social determinants of health, and more patient-centered perspectives.

Physical therapy and rehabilitation 

A virtual environment provides a proper rehabilitation space to help patients suffering from movement disorders and diseases. In the medical VR environment, the patient interacts with objects and performs necessary exercises. The overall gamification of the procedure makes people forget about the pain and different psychological factors that may distract and interfere with rehabilitation. For example, children with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) experience pain in one or more limbs almost all the time. Medical VR games like squashing watermelons help them to focus more on the movements and the game rather than pain and stress. As a result, children’s confidence is increasing, and treatment improves.

Telehealth

Telehealth is changing the way patients receive healthcare worldwide. In regions where care was once difficult to access, people living in remote areas or those with mobility challenges can now receive medical support from doctors. With the addition of immersive technologies and VR therapy, it is becoming possible to deliver even more effective and engaging care to patients. For example, a recent real-world study of a 56-day, self-administered VR program (RelieVRx) showed significant and sustained reductions in pain intensity and pain interference up to 12 months after treatment, highlighting the long-term potential of telehealth-based VR therapy.

Patient satisfaction 

VR interventions could improve patient satisfaction in several ways. On one hand, patients can use VR for physical activity, additional therapy, gaming, and other applications that may improve their mood and overall experience with treatment. On the other hand, doctors can utilize VR in healthcare to gain a deeper understanding of how patients feel and “walk in their shoes,” leading to more patient-centered approaches to care.

For example, VR enables clinicians or medical developers to experience what patients with Parkinson’s disease feel regarding movement. This experience will enable doctors to step into patients’ shoes and create a more accurate treatment approach based on practical knowledge.

Virtual reality in pharmaceutical sales

Using VR tools provides ample space for unique promotional ideas for pharmaceutical companies. As marketing and sales communications often hinge on content and delivery, we all know upfront that PowerPoint presentations and PDF brochures with walls of text and strange infographics will bore healthcare professionals to death. As a result, you experience a disruption in communication. Not quite an outcome you expect from your revenue teams, right?

Your target audience will likely be impressed with what VR has to offer. This is where the “customer journey” term becomes literal: you can take the HCP through a prepared virtual project that demonstrates the medication and how it works. Users can be presented with an analog of the human body and see how its health is affected by the medicine you present. VR in pharma marketing convinces people much strongly than any possible wording on your next sales slide.

Challenges and Limitations of VR

VR technology isn’t for everyone. Unfortunately, it is not a cure-all for every disease, and its possibilities are limited. Here are some of the negative sides of VR technology:

• Implementing VR may be costly and time-consuming. The VR hardware glasses range from 60$ (Google Daydream View) to $1,500 (HTC Vive Pro Eye Full Kit). Additionally, these kits are fragile and require regular maintenance. You may need additional software that fulfills your business needs. At this point, there’s a need to find an appropriate team of developers who can create a unique healthcare application based on virtual engines like Unity or Unreal Engine.
• Some people may experience nausea, similar to motion sickness, as their vestibular apparatus has not yet adapted to the new environment. Getting used to VR may take some time or several sessions. The main problem is that VR is a relatively young technology, and its standards and policies for use are still being determined. It is getting less severe with every technology update — the better the software and hardware, the fewer people feel the discomfort.
• Despite VR providing the best immersive experience, it is still not a panacea for education. A virtual environment works perfectly for describing information or engaging in new activities. However, it can not provide 100% immersion as it does not give a user proper hand control. For example, it can simulate surgery and let you go through every aspect of the operation. Still, it cannot replicate the sensation of holding a scalpel, working with living tissue, and other nuances that are only possible in the real world.

Despite all these factors, numerous VR applications still exist. What is important to understand is that VR may not be suitable for all clinical settings, and that’s perfectly fine, as there are still many ways to make it not only useful but also life-saving.

Real-World Examples of VR in Healthcare

Virtual reality is not something that could theoretically work; it’s already actively used in healthcare, pharma, life sciences, and other industries. Here are some of the many real-world examples of how VR can help doctors and patients:

Pfizer’s VR training programs

Pfizer began creating digital twins of real-world facilities as a proof of concept in 2019, long before their full value became clear. When the pandemic hit, these 3D scans became the foundation for immersive VR training environments, allowing operators worldwide to train on realistic production lines without disrupting live operations. The approach helped operators reach the shop floor 40% faster, improve knowledge retention, and reduce errors. Beyond training, these virtual environments are now used for engineering reviews, onboarding, due diligence, and AR experiences.

Embodied Labs’ app for caretakers

Embodied Labs, a company specializing in immersive educational technology, created an educational app for caretakers. This app offers several training sessions that address issues related to hearing loss, eyesight, and dementia. The goal of the program is not only to provide a simulated environment for improved learning, but also to deepen understanding of what patients experience.

Help with anxiety before and after surgery

In a pilot study at St George’s Hospital in London, surgical patients were given the option to use a VR headset before and during their procedure to view calming landscapes. All participants reported an improved overall hospital experience, with 94% feeling more relaxed. In addition, 80% experienced reduced pain and 73% reported lower levels of anxiety. Surprisingly, digital imagery and sensory stimuli can help relieve pain, even in situations such as post-surgery or labor pain.

What is the Future of VR? 

VR technology continues to improve and find new applications in various industries. Telehealth, mental health therapies, and gamified healthcare are just a fraction of what’s to come. Here is what the future of virtual reality in healthcare will look like in our opinion.

Improved training facilities

Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals will be able to hone their skills and practice in real time without immediately working with actual patients. In virtual reality, students can explore human anatomy, simulate surgeries, and practice patient interactions in a completely risk-free environment.

New therapies

We are currently at the early stages of what technology is capable of. As virtual reality tools continue to advance, new therapies will emerge. From VR exposure therapy to programs for pain reduction, there are vast possibilities for how virtual reality can transform healthcare, and these solutions will continue to evolve.

Personalized medicine

With VR, it is possible to personalize a wide range of therapies and treatments. One way to do this is through programs with customizable settings that can be adjusted for each patient. Additionally, doctors can utilize VR to gain deeper insights into how patients are coping with acute or chronic pain and other aspects of their condition that may be challenging to capture without additional tools.

Educational opportunities

While VR is not yet widely used for educational purposes, this is likely to change in the coming years. VR-guided education programs can help patients better understand their conditions, treatment options, and care pathways through immersive, easy-to-follow experiences. At the same time, healthcare professionals can utilize virtual reality to enhance their training, explore complex medical concepts, and stay current with new procedures in a safe and interactive environment.

Increased realism

Virtual reality in healthcare is expected to undergo significant evolution, unlocking even more possibilities. Technologies such as mixed reality will become more widespread, alongside hyper-realistic simulations enhanced by advanced haptic feedback. For many users, VR experiences will become increasingly realistic, allowing them to plan treatments, simulate procedures, manage conditions, and practice complex tasks within immersive virtual environments.

Closing Thoughts 

In healthcare, VR tends to succeed in very specific situations. It works when there is a clear gap: a procedure that is hard to explain, a therapy that depends on patient focus, or a training scenario that is too risky or expensive to repeat in real life. In these cases, immersive experiences can shorten learning curves, reduce anxiety, and make complex ideas easier to grasp.

But VR is not a universal solution. It does not replace hands-on clinical practice, and it rarely justifies itself without a defined use case. The projects that deliver real value are usually tightly scoped: a surgical training module, a rehabilitation program, a patient education experience, or a focused HCP engagement tool.

As the technology matures, the conversation is shifting from “Can we use VR?” to “Where does it improve outcomes or productivity?” Organizations that start with practical scenarios and measurable goals are the ones that see the most benefit.