The Force of Habit: Examining the Status Quo Bias for Using Mixed Reality in Patient Education

Abstract

Using mixed reality (MR) glasses for preoperative patient education (PPE) can help patients understand the purpose and risks of surgical procedures through informative visualizations. However, patients tend to be critical regarding the use of MR glasses in healthcare and often prefer the status quo of healthcare services provided. This study explores the resistance to MR technologies in PPE through the lens of the status quo bias theory by surveying n = 171 participants. We conducted a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis revealing configurations that provide a typological understanding of patient resistance. This allows healthcare stakeholders to take more targeted interventions to promote MR adoption. Notably, the results indicate that healthcare providers need to be transparent in communicating the benefits and drawbacks of using MR, as uncertainty costs are the main driver of resistance to MR glasses in PPE.