Medical training enters digital age: The impact of VR and AR on hemodialysis education

The findings suggest that VR and AR training methods offer several advantages over traditional instructor-led approaches. Firstly, they enable repeated practice without requiring access to a physical machine, reducing the dependency on device availability. Secondly, digital training is standardized and reproducible, eliminating variations in instruction quality across different sessions.

Medical device training is a critical component of healthcare, ensuring that professionals are well-equipped to operate complex machinery safely and effectively. Traditional training methods, often reliant on on-site instruction by medical experts, are plagued by inefficiencies, logistical constraints, and a lack of adaptability. The rising complexity of medical devices has only exacerbated these issues.

A recent study titled "Potential of Digital Technologies in Counteracting Long-Standing Deficits in Hemodialysis Machine Training" by Maximilian Rettinger, Julia Steinhaus, Annika Hackenberg, Lisa Lehr, Niklas Müller, Matthias Schöffel, Sonja Pandit, Julia Mayer, Christopher Holzmann-Littig, Gerhard Rigoll, and Christoph Schmaderer, published in Scientific Reports (2025), explores how digital training methods - including video-based learning, mobile applications, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) - can enhance medical device training. Their findings suggest that immersive digital training techniques significantly outperform conventional approaches in terms of engagement, knowledge retention, and practical application.

Limitations of conventional hemodialysis training

Hemodialysis machines are life-saving devices used to filter toxins from the blood in patients with kidney failure. However, their operation is intricate, requiring healthcare professionals to undergo rigorous training. Traditional training methods typically involve an in-person session led by an expert, often conducted in crowded spaces with restricted visibility. This approach poses several challenges, including limited hands-on practice, time constraints, high cognitive load, and inadequate long-term retention of procedural steps. Additionally, healthcare facilities face logistical hurdles such as device unavailability for training, staff shortages, and financial constraints, further impeding the efficiency of training programs.

The study highlights that the infrequent and short duration of conventional training sessions often forces trainees to choose between patient care and skill development. These factors lead to knowledge gaps, increasing the risk of human error, device misuse, and compromised patient safety. Given these shortcomings, the researchers investigated whether digital training solutions could provide a viable alternative, enabling professionals to train more effectively while minimizing disruptions to clinical workflows.

Impact of digital training: VR and AR take the lead

To assess the effectiveness of digital training, the researchers implemented five distinct training methods: (1) instructor-led group training, (2) video-based training, (3) mobile application (MA) training, (4) virtual reality (VR) training, and (5) augmented reality (AR) training. Each method provided identical instructional content, allowing for a direct comparison of learning outcomes. A total of 140 participants, all with medical backgrounds, were divided into groups and assigned to different training modalities. Following their training, they underwent both immediate and delayed assessments to evaluate knowledge retention, skill application, and overall satisfaction.

The results revealed that VR and AR training significantly outperformed conventional methods in terms of knowledge retention and user engagement. Participants who trained using AR showed the highest accuracy in practical application, as they were able to interact with a real dialysis machine augmented with virtual instructions. VR, which provided an immersive simulation, also led to superior training outcomes, particularly in environments where physical devices were unavailable. Mobile application training demonstrated efficiency in terms of time but lacked the interactive depth of AR and VR. Video-based training, while helpful for conceptual learning, scored the lowest in practical skill application.

Advantages of immersive digital training

The findings suggest that VR and AR training methods offer several advantages over traditional instructor-led approaches. Firstly, they enable repeated practice without requiring access to a physical machine, reducing the dependency on device availability. Secondly, digital training is standardized and reproducible, eliminating variations in instruction quality across different sessions. Additionally, multilingual capabilities, interactive elements, and adaptive learning features allow trainees to engage with the material at their own pace, fostering deeper comprehension.

Another major advantage of AR training is its ability to provide real-time, step-by-step guidance on an actual device, improving the trainee’s ability to replicate procedures accurately in real-world settings. Unlike passive video training, AR allows for hands-on interaction, reinforcing procedural memory and increasing confidence. Meanwhile, VR creates realistic, high-pressure scenarios that simulate emergency conditions, helping trainees develop problem-solving skills in a risk-free environment.

The study also highlights that digital training mitigates common distractions found in clinical settings, such as ambient noise and interruptions, which often impair focus during in-person sessions. By integrating digital training into hospital workflows, medical institutions can optimize both training efficiency and patient safety, ensuring that healthcare professionals are well-prepared to handle complex medical devices.

Future directions: The need for widespread digital adoption

Despite the promising results, the study emphasizes that the adoption of digital training in medical settings remains limited, primarily due to infrastructure costs, resistance to change, and regulatory concerns. However, as extended reality (XR) technologies continue to evolve, the feasibility of large-scale implementation is improving. The researchers advocate for a blended training approach, where digital training methods complement traditional instruction, allowing professionals to develop both theoretical understanding and hands-on experience in a structured manner.

Additionally, future research should explore the long-term impact of digital training on clinical performance, assessing whether VR and AR-trained professionals demonstrate superior patient outcomes compared to those trained through conventional means. The integration of AI-powered adaptive learning algorithms could further enhance digital training by personalizing learning experiences based on individual progress and competency levels.

Ultimately, the study underscores the urgent need for healthcare institutions to modernize their training approaches, leveraging digital solutions to improve learning efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance patient care. By embracing immersive and interactive training technologies, the medical field can bridge existing gaps in device education, equipping healthcare professionals with the skills they need to safely and effectively operate life-saving equipment in any clinical scenario.