Medicine Meets Virtual Reality: Healthcare in the Information Age

This is an annual publication of multi-speciality, interdisciplinary symposia presenting advances in computing and communications technologies that pave the way for medicine to navigate the information superhighway. It explains how technology will affect the future of medical and surgical practice by improving access, quality and continuity of care, while reducing cost. It is designed for physicians, surgeons, health-care providers, researchers, developers, educators and investors interested in the advancement of minimally invasive, cost-effective health-care practices. Topics are addressed from the perspective of the end-user as well as the interface designer.;The principal focus of this book is the use of virtual reality (VR) technology in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Secondary foci include: the use of VR in providing diagnosis and treatment remotely (teletherapy); the use of VR in basic research on brain function; and the extent to which various types of VR experiences in different application domains are likely to result in unanticipated and undesired "side effects".;The book includes the following topics: virtual reality and mental health; advanced biomedical technology programme; imaging and visualization; new tools for diagnostic and therapy; technology assessment - will it work? Is it better? Will it be paid?; surgery - tools for minimally invasive therapies; sages and ethicon; education and training - tools for future health-care providers; telecommunications and medicine = expanding horizons for healthcare; healthcare - the market for emerging technologies; technology - the tools to make it work.