Mixed Reality Head-Mounted Displays in Healthcare - A Design Science Perspective on Requirements, Applications, and Economic Impact in Chronic Wound Management and Dentistry

Modern healthcare systems face increasing challenges, such as rising costs and a shortage of skilled labour. Within this context, various efforts investigate the potential of new technologies to support and relieve healthcare professionals. This dissertation aims to explore the application of mixed reality head-mounted displays (MR HMDs) in healthcare settings, with a focus on chronic wound care and dentistry. To address the research objectives, the design science approach was employed to gather relevant information from scientific literature and key stakeholders. A mixed-methods design was selected to combine qualitative and quantitative methods such as literature reviews, interviews, and a cost-benefit analysis. The findings provide multiple perspectives on the issue at hand, including an overview of most used trades and application scenarios where MR HMDs are currently in use. Furthermore, the dissertation demonstrates the potential of MR HMDs for transformative opportunities in healthcare such as optimised operational workflows, efficient data handling in sterile environments, real-time collaboration and medical training. However, several barriers were identified that hinder the adoption of MR HMDs, including interoperability, administrative overheads, or integration in existing infrastructure. To address these challenges a structured system and integration framework for developing MR HMDs is presented consisting of six layers that summarise the found requirements and are designed to guide further development and adoption of MR HMDs in medical contexts. The findings expand the knowledge base in business informatics by providing domain-specific implications, with a focus on health IT, identifying key challenges related to MR HMD adoption and deriving implications for manufacturers and decision-makers.