Virtual reality (VR) in healthcare is relatively new concept and the views of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on its potential should be studied. We set out to investigate the perception of HCPs concerning VR’s feasibility and utility in healthcare. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted among HCPs in a medical teaching institution in the Klang Valley, Malaysia from March until July 2021. Focus group discussions were held using semi-structured questions consisting of four categories i.e., utility, training, development and resources and obstacles were developed deductively prior to the study. They were analysed using thematic coding. The data were presented in the form of categories, themes and quotes. Seven doctors, four allied health professionals and four science officers were among the fifteen respondents. A total of 16 themes were derived out of the four categories which were usage, purpose, new modality, individual experience, patient safety, trainer-trainer safety, training standardisation, logistic, interactivity, cost to consumers, potentiality, management support, limitation, funding, lack of expertise, and mindset ignorance. Apart from safety concerns, high VR technology costs were expected to become more affordable in the future. Cybersickness was also of a concern. This study demonstrated that VR was feasible in healthcare education and practice if several critical factors were considered, including increased funding, a more favourable mindset, increased visibility, awareness of available resources and increased collaboration between technical and subject matter experts. As VR acts as simulation, VR ensures trainee's, teacher's and patient's safety while allowing more flexible training in a variety of clinical scenarios.
Challenges in Embracing Virtual Reality from Healthcare Professional’s Perspective: A Qualitative Study
Abstrak
Realiti maya (VR) dalam bidang kesihatan merupakan konsep yang agak baharu dan kajian terhadap pandangan profesional kesihatan (HCP) tentang potensinya harus dilakukan. Kami berhasrat untuk mengkaji persepsi HCP berkenaan dengan kebolehlaksanaan dan penggunaan VR dalam penjagaan kesihatan. Kajian kualitatif telah dijalankan dalam kalangan HCP di sebuah institusi perguruan perubatan di Lembah Klang, Malaysia dari Mac hingga Julai 2021. Perbincangan kumpulan berfokus telah diadakan menggunakan soalan separa berstruktur yang terdiri daripada empat kategori iaitu utiliti, latihan, pembangunan dan sumber serta cabaran yang telah dibangunkan secara deduktif sebelum kajian. Peserta dianalisis menggunakan pengekodan tematik. Data tersebut ditunjukkan dalam bentuk kategori, tema dan petikan. Tujuh doktor, empat profesional kesihatan bersekutu dan empat pegawai sains ialah antara lima belas responden. Sejumlah 16 tema telah diperoleh daripada empat kategori yang dikaji iaitu penggunaan, tujuan, modaliti baharu, pengalaman individu, keselamatan pesakit, keselamatan jurulatih, penyeragaman latihan, logistik, interaktiviti, kos kepada pengguna, potensi, sokongan pengurusan, had, pembiayaan, kekurangan kepakaran dan pemikiran kurang peduli. Selain daripada isu keselamatan, kos teknologi VR yang tinggi dijangka menjadi lebih mampu dimiliki pada masa hadapan. Penyakit siber juga membimbangkan. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa VR boleh digunakan dalam pendidikan dan amalan penjagaan kesihatan jika beberapa faktor kritikal dipertimbangkan, termasuk peningkatan pembiayaan, pemikiran yang lebih baik, peningkatan keterlihatan, kesedaran tentang sumber yang tersedia dan peningkatan kerjasama antara pakar teknikal dan subjek. Memandangkan VR bertindak sebagai simulasi, VR memastikan keselamatan pelatih, guru dan pesakit sambil membenarkan latihan yang lebih fleksibel dalam pelbagai senario klinikal.
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