Understanding the Views of Health Care Professionals on the Usability and Utility of Virtual Reality Multidisciplinary Team Meetings: Usability and Utility Study
Authors: Almashmoum Maryam , Payton Antony , Johnstone Emily , Cunningham James , Ainsworth John 
Published: December 2024

Background

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are one of the facilitators that enhance knowledge sharing among health care professionals. However, organizing a face-to-face MDT meeting to discuss patient treatment plans can be time-consuming. Virtual reality software is widely used in health care nowadays to save time and protect lives. Therefore, the use of virtual reality multidisciplinary team (VRMDT) meeting software may help enhance knowledge sharing between health care professionals and make meetings more efficient.

Objective

The objectives of this study were to introduce VRMDT software for enhancing knowledge sharing and to evaluate the feasibility and usability of the VRMDT for use by professionals in health care institutions.

Methods

We invited participants from The University of Manchester Faculty for Biology, Medicine, and Health who had a health care background. As this was the first stage of software development, individuals who did not usually attend MDT meetings were also invited via email to participate in this study. Participants evaluated VRMDT using a Meta Quest 3 headset, and software developed using the Unity platform. The software contained an onboarding tutorial that taught the participants how to select items, load and rotate 3D Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine files, talk to a generative artificial intelligence–supported avatar, and make notes. After the evaluation (approximately 15 min), participants received an electronic survey using the Qualtrics survey tool (Qualtrics International Inc) to score the usability and feasibility of the software by responding to the 10-item system usability scale, and 12-point heuristic evaluation questions with Neilsen severity rating.

Results

A total of 12 participants, including 4 health informatics, 3 with a nursing background, 2 medical doctors, 1 radiologist, and 2 biostatisticians, participated in the study. The most common age bracket of participants was 20‐30 years (6/12, 50%). Most of the respondents had no experience with virtual reality, either in educational or entertainment settings. The VRMDT received a mean usability score of 72.7 (range between 68 and 80.3), earning an overall “good” rating grade. The mean score of single items in the heuristic evaluation questionnaires was less than 1 out of 4 (the overall mean was 0.6), which indicates that only minor problems were encountered when using this software. Overall, the participant’s feedback was good with highlighted issues including a poor internet connection and the quality of the generative artificial intelligence response.

Conclusions

VRMDT software (developed by SentiraXR) was developed with several functions aimed at helping health care professionals to discuss medical conditions efficiently. Participants found that the VRMDT is a powerful, and useful tool for enhancing knowledge sharing among professionals who are involved in MDT meetings due to its functionality and multiuser interactive environments. Additionally, there may be the possibility of using it to train junior professionals to interpret medical reports.