Elon Musk was asked whether he thinks we live in a simulation:
“The strongest argument for us being in a simulation is the following: forty years ago, we had Pong. Two rectangles and a dot. That’s what games were. Now forty years later, we have photorealistic simulations with millions of people playing simultaneously, and it’s getting better every year…If you assume any rate of improvement at all, then games will become indistinguishable from reality.”
He paused for a moment.
“It would seem to follow that the odds that we’re in base reality is one in billions.”
The founder of SpaceX had just shared a brief take on the “simulation hypothesis,” popularized by Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom.
In simple words, he was trying to say that we are at the cusp of the next Homo sapiens cognitive revolution. Which will fundamentally change the way we interact with and perceive the world around us. A revolution that would create a level of neuroplasticity designed to unlock new possibilities for cognitive enhancement and personal growth – a reality that we have just started to fathom.
How does this really look for a frontier company like Medisim VR which is to manifest this reality?
And, wait a minute – not just manifest, but as a company own this reality and more importantly grow it.
Difficult, to say the least.
Calling Medisim VR’s gargantuan task to build an educational infrastructure for medical training revolutionary is lazy thinking. It goes far beyond it. The ambition is at a Promethean scale – and at this level, every challenge is foundational – and once successfully handled transforms into an unassailable competitive edge over any other organization that chooses to follow the path.
In this post, we won’t discuss regular startup challenges like the cost of scale, production challenges, and logistics here. They deserve a separate blog where we can include best world practices. We will look at challenges that, along with execution excellence, require vibrant imagination – essential for a frontier organization to thrive.
Technical problems are simple to solve due to the exact nature of the trouble, while cultural and educational challenges are ambiguous and only a precise hand can summarise it.
So, what are these challenges and how can a potent and creative communication strategy play a defining role?
Education: Frontier companies often introduce new and innovative technologies, such as VR, that may be unfamiliar to healthcare professionals. This can make it more difficult to educate them about the benefits and limitations of the technology, as they may have little prior knowledge or experience to build upon.
Action: A clear content plan that complements instead of competing with traditional training methods to enhance the learning experience. Collaborating with subject matter experts will lead to more in-depth educational resources, such as e-books, white papers, and webinars that will accelerate learning.
Outcome: By framing VR training within the context of real-world healthcare challenges, the content team can assist in creating a more compelling and relevant educational program. The superiority of VR training can be quickly established over specific challenges in healthcare, such as improving medical error rates, increasing patient safety, or enhancing collaboration among healthcare professionals.
Systemic Friction: Integrating new technologies into existing healthcare training programs is a complex and resource-consuming process, particularly in established institutions with well-defined procedures and practices. Frontier companies will face resistance from stakeholders who are reluctant to adopt new technologies or who are concerned about the potential disruption to their existing training programs.
Action: An empathetic content team can provide a compelling case for consideration even among the most orthodox thought leaders. Persuasive case studies, success stories, and other resources can both – demonstrate the inherent value of VR training and present frameworks of successful integration into existing healthcare training programs. This can help healthcare institutions, trainers, and trainees understand the potential benefits of VR training and overcome resistance to change. The team can also collaborate with stakeholders to develop customized VR training solutions that align with their specific needs and goals.
Outcome: By positioning VR training as a catalyst for positive change within healthcare education, the team can help stakeholders understand its potential benefits and overcome resistance to change.
Ethical Considerations: As pioneers in VR training, frontier companies like MediSim VR will face unique and even unprecedented ethical challenges that have not yet been widely addressed in existing policies and guidelines. They will have to navigate uncharted territory and develop their own ethical frameworks to guide their work.
Action: The content team can create guidelines, policies, compile best practices, and other resources that promote ethical practices in VR training. White papers such as protecting patient privacy, confidentiality, and informed consent can expand our knowledge base and reinforce our reputation.
Outcome: By being at the forefront of ethical discussions, we bring into existence advantages both in terms of reputation and provide a strong foundation for high-quality relationships with different stakeholders. Our deep understanding of the ethical considerations involved in VR training reinforces our brand as a responsible frontier organization.
Governance and Policy: Frontier companies will find it challenging to advocate for the development of new policies and guidelines that support the use of VR in healthcare training. They may face resistance from regulatory bodies and other stakeholders who are unfamiliar with VR or who are hesitant to embrace new technologies.
Action: The content team can collaborate with regulatory bodies, professional organizations, and other stakeholders to develop clear policies and guidelines for VR training. This can involve conducting research, creating resources that advocate for the development of standards and best practices, and participating in policy discussions. The team can also create educational content that promotes a broader understanding of the importance of governance and policy in shaping the future of VR training and improving patient outcomes.
Outcome: By positioning VR training as a critical component of healthcare innovation and transformation, the team can help drive policy changes that support its implementation and maximize its impact. A vital point would be how VR training and Medisim VR can shape the future of healthcare education and improve patient outcomes on a broader scale
Organizational Cohesion: Frontier companies are primarily learning organizations. We have to continuously adapt to new information and developments, which can create a dynamic working environment but also dilute internal cohesion, and the worst-case scenario is knowledge leakage.
Action: The content team can create systems that capture learnings, insights, and distribute them internally to reinforce collaboration.
Result: The outcome is a strong and informed organizational culture and the stellar process of fact-informed competitive marketing and sales activities.
As a modern-day pioneer- Medisim Vr’s power of technology will not only transform how healthcare professionals are trained but will go way ahead in lifting mankind’s quality of life in terms of magnitude.
The road ahead will be unknown, but it’s filled with opportunities for growth and impact. With a clear and strong communication strategy misunderstanding can be reduced, collaboration built, and institutions can be persuaded to step into the next revolution. For one thing is clear- the next cognitive revolution requires us to work together, to dream bigger, and to push the boundaries of what is possible.