2026/07/15 by Bui, Barnett, Chinthammit +4 · 1 voice
Health Professions · Psychology · Social Sciences · #E-Learning and COVID-19 #Mentoring and Academic Development #Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
paper · pdf · doi:10.22605/rrh9969
openalex created_date 2026/07/15 · openalex publication_date 2026/07/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
INTRODUCTION: A collaborative research project between the University of Tasmania, Australia, and a Vietnamese central hospital, funded by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Australia, evaluated the usability of augmented reality (AR) technology for telementorship between central medical specialists and rural junior doctors in Vietnam. Mentorship effectiveness and patient acceptability during consultations were explored. METHODS: The AR system included a mentor station at a central hospital and eight mentee stations in rural and regional areas in Vietnam. Medical specialists and rural junior doctors formed mentor-mentee pairs to conduct consultations with patients recruited from local health facilities. Participants underwent seven training sessions to gain hands-on experience with HoloLens devices and the Remote Assist app. Mentees used HoloLens in patient rooms to connect with mentors via the Remote Assist app and Microsoft Teams for real-time discussions and remote assistance tailored to patient examinations and treatments. RESULTS: Four mentors, 18 mentees, and four technical staff participated in 41 consultations involving 94 patients. Usability scores were positive across all groups (mentees 3.8±0.6, mentors 3.1±0.2, technical staff 4.1±0.2). Mentorship effectiveness was rated highly by mentors (3.8±0.3) and mentees (4.2±1.1). Most patients (66.3%) were satisfied, and 75% were willing to be consulted again using AR technology. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the potential of AR technology to support junior doctors in patient care in rural clinical settings. The implications for practice and policy are as follows. Doctors in rural areas could enhance health services by using AR to obtain guidance and advice from medical specialists elsewhere. End users require training and ongoing support for the effective implementation and use of AR technology. Guidelines for using AR in remote consultations should be developed by practitioners and policymakers. Further studies conducted with various healthcare professionals would generate additional understanding of the use of AR technology in telementorship.