Communication between clinicians and patients and communication within clinical
teams is widely recognized as a tool through which improved patient outcomes can
be achieved. As emerging technologies, there is a notable lack of commentary on
the role of immersive virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in
enhancing medical communication. This scoping review aims to map the current
landscape of literature on this topic and highlights gaps in the evidence to
inform future endeavors. A comprehensive search strategy was conducted across 3
databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase), yielding 1000 articles, of which
623 were individually screened for relevance. Ultimately, 22 articles were
selected for inclusion and review. Similarities across the cohort of studies
included small sample sizes, observational study design, use of questionnaires,
and more VR studies than AR. The majority of studies found these technologies to
improve medical communication, although user tolerability limitations were
identified. More studies are required, presenting more robust findings, in order
to draw more definitive conclusions and stronger recommendations for use of
immersive VR/AR in clinical environments.