In this paper, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of 104 healthcare studies that have utilized Extended Reality (XR) Head Mounted Displays (HMDs). Our aim is to offer readers an overview of the current landscape of healthcare XR HMDs, including the range of HMDs used, the variety of XR interventions employed across medical pathways, and the intended research outcomes of these applications.

We also provide detailed documentation of evaluation techniques used to investigate the antecedents and consequences of using XR technology in healthcare, while delivering a critical discussion and suggestions for improvement of XR evaluation practices. This paper will be invaluable to clinicians, academics, funding bodies, and hospital decision-makers who are seeking recommendations for evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of XR HMDs.

The authors of this paper, Dr. Payal Ghatnekar and Dr. Mona Seyed Esfahani, hope to stimulate conversations about the importance of enhancing XR evaluation practices. By shedding light on current practices and providing suggestions for improvement, we believe that this paper will contribute to advancing the use of XR technology in healthcare and improving patient outcomes.