Within the #VRHealthChampions project, another step is being taken towards practical implementation. This case study by Metaskills and MetaMedicsVR shows how AI-assisted VR training can support the development of essential skills such as communication, empathy and decision-making through immersive clinical scenarios. It’s a strong example of how XR solutions are evolving from early-stage concepts into tools with real value for healthcare professionals and systems. 🔎 Read the full case study: https://vrhealthchampions.eu/from-vr-innovation-to-real-world-implementation-in-european-healthcare/ #VRHealth #DigitalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #VirtualReality #HealthTech #VRHealthChampions #I3 #CaseStudy

A new article published in Frontiers in Medicine explores how AI-driven patient assignment can improve the daily redistribution of patients among hospitalists, pointing to a practical use case for AI in hospital operations rather than only in diagnostics. The study examines how automated patient assignment can support the daily allocation and redistribution of patients between hospitalists, helping reduce manual coordination and improve workload balance across clinical teams. It highlights an important but often overlooked dimension of hospital innovation: the operational organization of care delivery at the ward level. For hospitals facing staffing pressure, fluctuating patient volumes and growing complexity of care coordination, this kind of AI application may offer a practical way to improve workflow efficiency and support more equitable distribution of clinical responsibilities. The publication also reinforces a broader trend: AI in hospitals is increasingly being explored not only for clinical decision support, but also for optimizing the everyday mechanics of care delivery. Source Frontiers in Medicine, February 4, 2026, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven patient assignment: optimizing daily redistribution among hospitalists.”

A new HaDEA article highlights how EU-funded initiatives are helping build digital capabilities across Europe, including a health-focused master’s programme designed to prepare professionals for digital transformation in healthcare. In its 9 March 2026 article on digital skills for the Digital Decade, HaDEA presents several initiatives aimed at strengthening Europe’s workforce. For the Life Science and healthcare ecosystem, the most relevant example is ManagiDiTH, a master’s programme in “Managing Digital Transformation in the Health Sector.” According to HaDEA, the programme is designed to equip graduates with capabilities related to the digitalisation of health services, interoperability, health information systems and ICT-enabled service development. The agency also reports strong demand, with 182 students enrolled in the first cohort in September 2024 and another 182 admitted in September 2025, already exceeding the programme’s initial target trajectory. Source European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), “Spotlight on: Digital skills – strengthening Europe’s workforce for the digital decade,” published 9 March 2026.

A new KFF tracking poll suggests that AI is becoming a mainstream source of health information. About one-third of U.S. adults say they used AI chatbots for health information or advice over the past 12 months. According to KFF, 32% of adults in the U.S. used AI chatbots for health information or advice in the past year. That is roughly on par with social media as a health information source (29%), though still below doctors (80%) and internet search engines (68%). One of the most important findings concerns what happens next. Among those who used AI for physical health advice, 42% said they did not follow up with a doctor. Among those who used AI for mental health or emotional wellbeing advice, 58% said they did not follow up with a mental health professional. The poll also indicates that people often turn to AI because it is fast and immediate, while affordability and access barriers remain an important driver for some users. The survey was conducted among 1,343 U.S. adults from February 24 to March 2, 2026, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points for the full sample.

During the Mid-term Review Meeting in Budapest, project partners, SMEs and stakeholders came together to review what has been achieved so far and to discuss the priorities for the coming months. One of the key highlights is the progress made by the five flagship SMEs – dotLumen, MedApp, MEEVA, Metaskills and Virtuleap – which are developing innovative XR solutions for healthcare. Their technologies are gradually moving towards testing, validation and real-world healthcare applications. The second phase of the project will focus on further development, collaboration across the ecosystem and preparing these solutions for market and clinical environments. 🔎 Read more about the meeting and the next steps for the project: https://vrhealthchampions.eu/halfway-there-vr-health-champions-reviews-progress-and-sets-the-course-for-the-next-phase/ #VRHealthChampions #XRHealth #DigitalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #EuropeanInnovation

A new market report indicates strong growth for immersive technologies in healthcare, projecting the global AR and VR healthcare market to reach nearly $15 billion by 2033. According to a newly released industry report, the global market for augmented and virtual reality in healthcare was valued at approximately $2.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $14.9 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 19.6%. The expansion is driven by increasing adoption of immersive technologies across several medical domains, including medical training, surgical visualization, rehabilitation, and mental health therapies. Hospitals and medical schools are increasingly integrating VR-based simulations into training programs, while AR tools are gaining traction in surgical planning and intraoperative navigation. The report also highlights the growing convergence of XR, artificial intelligence, and telehealth platforms, which is enabling more personalized and scalable digital health solutions. As hardware becomes more accessible and software ecosystems mature, immersive technologies are expected to play a larger role in clinical workflows and patient care. For the LSOS community, the projected market growth signals expanding opportunities for research–industry collaboration in immersive health technologies, particularly in clinical validation, digital therapeutics, and next-generation medical training platforms. Source: PR Newswire, 2026 Link: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virtual-and-augmented-reality-in-healthcare-market-to-reach-14-9-billion-globally-by-2033-at-19-6-cagr-302697188.html