Virtual reality systems increasingly are being integrated into a wide variety of health-related settings, such as clinical IT systems, operating rooms, medical schools and treatment programs for returning soldiers, according to a new report from Kalorama Information, Healthcare IT News reports.
The report found that between 2006 and 2010, the U.S. market for health-related virtual reality applications experienced a compound annual growth rate of more than 10%, reaching about $670 million in sales in 2010.
Researchers predicted that the market growth will continue at a greater rate through 2015 as health care providers begin ratcheting up their equipment and technology spending.
In addition, the report noted that health-related virtual reality products are starting to gain new attention from health care industry suppliers, partly because recent merger and acquisition deals have opened up new opportunities in the health care virtual reality market (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 2/7).
