Virtual reality (VR), is the capability to interact with an object or environment digitally reproduced in a way that mimics an actual experience. In healthcare settings, this technology can be used to enhance movement for rehabilitation patients, or to relax and distract patients during medical procedures. VR is still in the very beginning stages of application and acceptance in the clinical setting. In this article, we present a scoping review of the existing literature identifying obstacles and barriers to the implementation of VR in healthcare settings.

The majority of the obstacles discovered by this study in relation to the adopter category and organizational categories within the NASSS framework. These included the requirement for healthcare providers to receive training and education regarding VR, the lack of research and evidence regarding the added value of VR in the context of treatment and the perception of a lack of confidence and self-efficacy in using VR in patient care. Several studies have recommended using behavioral change techniques such as education and training, or intervision groups, to help clinicians make better decisions processes in relation to VR.

Facilitators were less frequently identified for reasons such as the younger patient’s age, which could be more open to new technology and feel more comfortable with it, or the fact that VR could create an immersive and interactive learning environment that stimulates the senses and encourages an understanding of more complicated scientific concepts. VR’s ability to recreate real-world settings such as the surface or structure of atoms iptech.one is a powerful educational tool that lets students explore and experiment abstract and complex concepts.