FDA launches VR/AR home healthcare initiative
MARYLAND, UNITED STATES — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched an initiative called “Home as a Health Care Hub” to reimagine home environments as integral parts of the healthcare system.
This project aims to leverage augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies to improve health equity and access to care.
This virtual model will serve as an “idea lab” for medical device developers, policymakers, providers, and patient groups to explore home-based healthcare solutions.
FDA’s $1.2 million initiative
The $1.2 million project will inform future regulations and technology development for at-home medical devices, addressing issues like intuitive design, safe use, training for non-medical users, and environmental factors like power outages.
“While many care options are currently attempting to use the home as a virtual clinical site, very few have considered the structural and critical elements of the home that will be required to absorb this transference of care. Moreover, devices intended for use in the home tend to be designed to operate in isolation rather than as part of an integrated, holistic environment,” the FDA said in a press release.
The FDA has partnered with Dallas-based architectural firm HKS Inc, which specializes in health-focused designs, to create an AR/VR-enabled home prototype.
Catering to low-income communities
The prototype will initially focus on rural and low-income communities, using diabetes as an example of a condition due to its disproportionate impact on underserved populations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over $300 billion was spent on diabetes-related medical costs in the U.S. in 2022, with a significant burden on minority communities.
By shifting the care model from systems to people, the FDA aims to allocate resources more effectively, personalize care for chronic conditions, and increase access to healthcare services, especially for socioeconomically vulnerable groups.
“The Home as a Health Care Hub prototype is the beginning of the conversation—helping device developers consider novel design approaches, aiding providers to consider opportunities to educate patients and extend care options, generating discussions on value-based care paradigms,” the FDA stated.
