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Improving Patient Experiences
Here at Rescape Innovation we bring immersive technology to the healthcare industry. Using virtual reality, we deliver solutions that can improve the patient experience and patient well-being, as well as offering education and training tools. Let me tell you more how this fits within the Healthcare industry...
DR.VR, virtual reality distraction therapy solution, is the first product we've launched here at Rescape. This out-of-the-box solution was reverse engineered to overcome the challenges of introducing virtual reality into a healthcare environment.
Applications for VR in Healthcare
The applications that DR.VR addresses include pain management and stress reduction. Using the virtual reality technology doesn’t remove pain, but it can help patients forget about their pain. As it transports patients to another environment, place, or time, it allows them to reduce the stigma that’s affecting them, reducing pain, anxiety, and stress to provide a more pleasant patient experience within a hospital setting.
Using the Virtual Reality technology doesn’t remove pain, but it can help patients forget about their pain.
So far we've have trialled the DR.VR technology in 24 different areas including paediatrics, accident and emergency, end of life care, palliative care, chemotherapy, ITU, and many more. With over 700 use cases, data has proven the effectiveness of the technology. We are pleased to say the reduction in pain has been 50%, and the reduction in anxiety and stress has been 51.6%.
Keeping Patients Connected
As a company, Rescape is constantly innovating and looking to improve their products. After meeting with many different hospices, hospitals, and healthcare staff, one area of need became apparent, the fulfilment of bucket lists. Those in end of life care wanted to go to church for the last time or perhaps take a final walk on the beach. There was also a need to help people remain connected to their families during long hospital stays.
This lead to the development of DR.VR+ which includes the integration of a 360-degree camera. The camera can be removed and taken by the staff or family of the patient to film family events and different locations. After filming, the camera is integrated into the system to transport the patient to that location or event that was filmed. The integration is simple and straightforward to use by healthcare staff with no IT training. All it takes is the push of a button to integrate the footage into the system.
There are over 57 different virtual reality headsets to choose from. In a healthcare environment, there are certain factors that must be considered compared to someone using a headset for gaming. An appropriate headset for patients must be easy to keep clean, lightweight, and simple to use. Rescape uses the Samsung Gear headset and the Pico G2. Both are lightweight and easy to clean, but the Pico G2, a newer headset, offers a few additional advantages. It does not include any foam, and the weight is more evenly distributed. Additionally, it does not require the use of a phone. The Pico G2 is a standalone unit with one less process and superior image and audio quality.
Use Cases
One client who was suffering from dementia was unable to attend her son’s wedding. The hospice staff used DR.VR+ and brought the camera to the ceremony where they filmed the entire event, from the vows to the first dance. The took the footage then integrated it back into the DR.VR+ system so the patient could watch the wedding as often as she liked. The advantage of this over a photo book or standard a video is the feeling of really being there. For example, the patient felt she was sitting in the pews and could turn around to watch the bride walk down the aisle as if she were there. It provided her with the sensation and feeling that she had actually been a part of the wedding festivities.
Another example was a great-grandmother who, as a hospice patient, wasn’t able to attend her great-granddaughter’s birthday party. Again, someone brought the camera to the event, and they filmed the child opening her presents and enjoying the birthday party. At one point, the great-granddaughter even approaches the camera and says, “Thanks very much for the present, Granny.” The footage was then brought back and integrated with the system so the patient could experience the party and feel connected to her family.
DR.VR+ can help patients not feel estranged from their families.
Examples like these show how DR.VR+ can help patients not feel estranged from their families. When people have an extended hospital stay, they often feel disconnected from friends and family, especially with limited visiting hours. These long periods of alone time can cause depression, anxiety, and stress. Having DR.VR+ can help alleviate that by making them feel that they are still a part of their family.
Final thoughts
There are so many ways DR.VR can help people in a clinical setting, and every week we are pleased to install new units in a variety of healthcare environments. Myself and the rest of the team feel we are just getting started - and are really excited at the developments in the pipeline, which will extend the functionality and service we offer even further.
Want to know more? Simply fill in the form below for instant access to our white paper and open your eyes to the power of VR in the clinic for yourself.
More information on Virtual Reality and Dementia