Giblib — the maker of a variety of streaming medical education videos that can be viewed the web, on mobile and in virtual reality — has launched a new app on the Oculus Store that features 360-degree VR videos of pre-recorded and live operating room procedures, the company announced yesterday.

The app and its videos are available to any consumers with a subscription to Giblib’s service and an Oculus VR device, as well as to the company’s partnered academic medical centers, Cedars-Sinai and Stanford Children’s Hospital.

Giblib — which recently launched a similar VR product with continuing medical education (CME) accreditation — films its videos at 4k resolution, with cameras providing the surgeons point of view and a 360 spherical panorama of the operating room.

What’s the impact

Opportunities for surgeons-in-training to sit in on a live procedure aren’t always plentiful, and the immersion of VR experiences stands as an opportunity for both students and practicing surgeons to more actively engage with their education.

"The feedback that we’ve received so far from our viewers is that this is the best experience outside of actual being next to the physician in the OR," Brian Conyer, CEO and cofounder of Giblib, told MobiHealthNews when speaking about his company’s technology in December. "It’s kind of a modern day surgical theater."

What’s the trend

Healthcare applications from distraction therapy to brain and nervous system treatments have seen varying levels of interest and success, but so far the technology seems to have some staying power among surgeons. In terms of applications for training, both FundamentalVR and OssoVR place users directly into the shoes of the surgeon with hands-on simulations, while the University of Nebraska Medical Center is nearing the end of its expensive bet on a virtual and augmented reality training center for studying practitioners.

On the record

“The latest surgical techniques and procedural best practices are advancing faster than ever before, and the ability to gain access to educational content that keeps surgeons up-to-date needs to meet demand,” Brian Conyer, CEO and cofounder of Giblib, said in a statement. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between medical professionals and the knowledge they need in order to enhance their techniques in a way that is universally accessible and retains the authenticity of the learning experience.”