PhD Researcher in Immersive Healthcare Communication

This PhD position at the Open University (OU) focuses on investigating how immersive communication—such as virtual and augmented reality—impacts patient experience, risk perception, decision-making, and autonomy in clinical settings. The candidate will collaborate with researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients from Zuyderland to conduct interdisciplinary studies, blending qualitative and quantitative methods. The project involves designing research protocols, executing experiments and case studies, publishing findings in international journals, and contributing to academic teaching. The work emphasizes patient-centered care, digital health literacy, and the ethical integration of immersive technologies in healthcare.

• Conduct research on how patients experience and interpret immersive communication technologies in clinical settings, analyzing cognitive and emotional processes.
• Investigate the impact of immersive communication on risk perception, preference formation, decision-making, and perceived autonomy among patients.
• Determine when immersive communication supports or hinders patient participation in healthcare decisions.
• Examine the role of digital skills, health literacy, and prior digital experience in patient engagement with immersive technologies.
• Design and execute qualitative and quantitative research, including experiments and case studies, in collaboration with Zuyderland healthcare professionals.
• Develop and refine the research proposal, conduct multiple studies, and publish results in international scientific journals.
• Present findings at international conferences and contribute to academic teaching, including developing study tasks and supervising student groups.