1. Virtual Reality and its impact on Healthcare
William Day: N
Sarah Tennakoon: N
By William Day and Sarah Tennakoon

2. What is Virtual Reality (VR)?
“A three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person.” (Virtual Reality, 2009)
Type of Reality Emulation.
Stimuli involved with virtual reality:
Sound
Video
Images
Newer environments use touch through a ‘haptic device’.
Head mounted displays (HMD) & Data gloves.
Virtual Reality, What is Virtual Reality? [online], Virtual Reality, Available at: [Accessed: 16 January 2015].

3. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Time/Cost. Cost.
Interesting and enjoyable rather than traditional therapy tasks.
Motion sickness/Sim sickness
Helps with rehabilitation.
Training.
Training and reacting to emergencies
Laver, Virtual Reality for Stroke Rehabilitation [online], Stroke, Available at: [Accessed: 30 January 2015].
Bennett, Unknown date. Advantages & Disadvantages of Virtual Reality [online], eHow, Available at: [Accessed: 30 January 2015].
GestureTek Health, Unknown date. Rehabilitation [online], GentureTek Health, Available at: [Accessed: 30 January 2015].
(GestureTek Health, Unknown date)
(Bennett, Unknown data)
(Laver, 2011)

4. Impact on Healthcare
Healthcare is one of the biggest adopters of Virtual Reality.
Surgery simulation
Skills training
Phobia treatment – Spiders (Arachnophobia), Height (Acrophobia), Public Speaking (Glossophobia)
Robotic Surgery – Orthopedics and Cardiology (Virtual Reality, 2009)
Testing the ability to stand alone training simulation to improve the clinical skills of healthcare professionals in alcohol screening and intervention. (Miliard, 2014)
Virtual Reality, Virtual Reality Healthcare [online], Virtual Reality, Available at: [Accessed: 27 January 2015].
Miliard, What can Oculus Rift so for healthcare [online], Healthcare IT News, Available at: [Accessed: 27 January 2015].

5. Case Studies
Case study from Stanford University’s Anesthesia Department on children with chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS). (Heinrich.E, 2014)
Study from University of Southern California: Using VR for Post-traumatic stress disorder, for soldiers in war for nearly 15 years. (Miliard, 2014).
Using Oculus Rift in the operating theatre in Hospital Perpetuo Socorro in Alicante, Spain. (Miliard, 2014)
Heinrich. E, Virtual Reality: It’s not just for video games [online], Fortune, Available at: [Accessed: 27 January 2015].
Miliard, What can Oculus Rift so for healthcare [online], Healthcare IT News, Available at: [Accessed: 27 January 2015].

6. Conclusion
Case studies show that Virtual Reality is on going and is being employed by professionals to treat rehabilitation, phobias, chronic regional pain syndrome, soldiers who’ve been at war etc
It can be utilized for any age range
Promising future.
In conclusion Virtual Reality is proving to be a positive impact on healthcare.

7. Thank You Any Questions?