According to WHO, the ageing population as well as population growth and changing disease patterns will be substantial challenges for the EU’s health sector and worldwide. Meaning it will increase the demand for well-trained health workers. However, we are expecting a physician shortage in the upcoming years: by 2020 more than 3.2% of the workforce will leave their job due to retirement, lack of new doctors in training and emigration to countries with better working conditions. This means 230,000 roles will need to be filled therefore leaving medicine with a challenging skill gap.

To counteract the skill gap challenge Osso VR founded by Justin Barad – an orthopaedic surgeon with a Bioengineering degree, created an immersive surgical simulator designed to train surgeons. To be a successful surgeon repetition is key and this device allows surgeons in training to practice virtually and not on people – as it is usually the case, thanks to advanced hand tracking which enables them to use surgical instruments. Justin Barad says, “It’s been proven that VR training improves outcomes for new surgeons. I had to learn through observation instead of experience. Simulation is clearly a better, safer, and more consistent way to accomplish that.”

The platform improves patient outcomes, increases the adoption of higher-value medical technologies and democratises access to surgical education around the globe. As it was first focused on orthopaedic surgeries, Osso VR is working with the principal hospitals and device companies specialised in this specific field.

Other workers who can benefit from the simulator are sales representatives and/or staff through team trainings regardless of their geographic location. Indeed, team trainings encompasses different skills team members should have: technical, communication, teamwork, and leadership.

As a results-driven approach, the sophisticated device also measures performance for an objective assessment and review of technical skill data. It gives trainees proficiency insight and help maximize patient outcomes.

A pilot study prominently showed simulator-trained users performed surgery nearly twice as well as those trained via traditional means.

References:

1. Data and Statistics, World Health Organisation Europe
2. Healthcare Personnel Statistics- Physicians, November 2018, Eurostat.
3. Europe has a shortage of doctors. November 2018, European Data Journalism Network.
4. The Leading, Virtual Reality Surgical training and Assessment platform, Osso VR.
5. Surgical VR Firm Osso VR Launches Collaborative Training Tool: Exclusive With CEO Dr. Justin Barad, August 2018, Medgadget.
6. Osso VR Surgical Training Makes Push Into Med Schools, June 2018, Forbes.