Augmented Reality Apps: Helping Patients Know What to Expect

Augmented reality (AR) is a live, direct or indirect, view of a physical environment whose elements are augmented or supplemented by computer-generated sensory inputs including sound, graphics, video, or GPS data.[1] Augmented reality mobile medical applications  have taken the medical app world by storm. Many medical apps are used globally by physicians and healthcare professionals to monitor and diagnose patients. Medical students regularly use augmented reality iPhone® apps, iPad® apps, Android™ tablet apps, and Android™ smartphone apps to practice surgery in a controlled setting. The mobile device industry has made mobile augmented reality more mainstream, especially in medical settings.

Nevertheless, augmented reality  mobile medical apps have not been as popular for patient use. Patient education is undoubtedly important and mobile medical apps that use augmented reality are extremely beneficial in helping patients understand certain conditions and illnesses. High-quality patient-targeted mobile applications are in high demand as more and more people choose to keep track of health issues from a mobile and virtual standpoint. Specifically, augmented reality apps can simulate certain conditions so users can understand the condition and its possible impact. Patients suffering from macular degeneration could use an augmented reality app to see how their vision would regress as well as how the eye itself deteriorates. Augmented reality reaches patients on a personal level because they are not just being told what could potentially happen to their bodies; they have the chance to experience it firsthand. Augmented reality mobile applications are extremely important to patient education because they offer many advantages:

  • Patients can visualize what the clinician is explaining
  • Multi-sensory experiences are shown to be more effective in transmitting information
  • Patients and family members can see how a disease would impact them in the comfort of their chosen surroundings (i.e. their own home) 1

While not all conditions can be put into an augmented reality format for patient education, a lot of common conditions can. Many iPhone app, iPad app, Android tablet app, and Android smartphone app users would greatly benefit from learning about conditions from the convenience of their mobile device. Due to the proven advantages of interactive learning over traditional methods of learning, the return on investment (ROI) on these applications cannot be beat. A simple app download can take patient education to another level by allowing the patient to actually experience potential impacts of conditions and illnesses.

To help patients receive the best education on medical conditions and illnesses through convenient apps, a universal developer of mobile applications has the best solutions. DDA Apps™, a full-service division of about Dynamic Digital Advertising, LLC, can help you develop the perfect augmented reality mobile application. DDA Apps knows medical apps are becoming increasingly popular, and that’s why its professional team of designers, programmers, copywriters, animators, and photographers has the skills to provide you with the best medical apps for your iPad, iPhone, or Android device. Contact DDA Apps today to learn more about how an augmented reality medical app can make patient education an engaging and interactive experience.

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Photo Credit: Microsoft Office Clipart

 



[1] Lewis, Tom. “Register for Free.” Weblog post. IMedicalApps RSS. IMedicalApps, 11 July 2013. Web. <http://www.imedicalapps.com/2013/07/medical-app-augmented-reality-patient-education/>.