You might think virtual reality is still a niche technology used primarily by next-gen gamers, but according to Frost & Sullivan within four years nearly half of all operating rooms will be using some form of VR along with an array of AI tools.

In a recent commentary, Eran Orr, CEO of healthcare technology company XRHealth, points to that prediction as an example of just how far, and how quickly, AI and VR are moving into the mainstream of healthcare services.

“We are seeing virtual reality making this entrance now in various settings like dentist offices to relieve patients of anxiety and pain from routine to complicated procedures, to being used for chemotherapy patients, childbirth, and throughout the rehabilitation process,” he says.

What’s interesting, in addition to the technologies themselves, is the way they are able to both manipulate the user’s attention for things like pain control, while simultaneously being used by providers to gather data.

On the first point, Orr notes that “the reason virtual reality is so effective for the patient is that it creates a 360-degree world that can distract and redirect the patients focus so that they are no longer thinking about the pain/anxiety but rather guided in a virtual world. In effect, VR ‘tricks’ the patient’s mind to believe they are literally in another surrounding.”

On the provider’s side, Orr explains, “if a patient is using VR during the rehabilitation process, data will be produced in real-time highlighting how often the patient is doing exercises, how intense the exercise was, and how the patient is benefitting the most from the rehabilitation process. The doctor can see all of the data on their patients right at their office so they can prescribe additional therapy or make any other additional adjustments to the VR environment, depending on the results and data available.”

And the data is also available in the broader continuum of care, he notes, “whether it is someone caring for an elderly parent, a nurse monitoring their patients progress, or a parent monitoring their child – all the data is visible to the patient, caregiver, and doctor - making the assessment of progress easier.”

As for what lies ahead, Orr quotes Frost & Sullivan analyst, Bejoy Daniel, who predicts that “data interoperability will help analyze past and present data to predict future health outcomes and patient wellness index for optimum use of resources. The shift in favor of data and algorithms will fuel the algorithmic business and endow businesses with a competitive edge.”