Importance of VR in pediatric healthcare
Virtual reality (VR) technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in healthcare settings, offering new possibilities for diagnosis, treatment, and patient experience enhancement. VR uses a headset to simulate a reality where the user feels immersed in a virtual environment, creating the impression of physical presence in that space. This technology holds significant potential to improve outcomes for pediatric patients across a variety of conditions and procedures.
Despite the recognized benefits, the adoption and uptake of VR in clinical practice remains limited. Effective implementation is crucial to driving increased usage and realizing the full value of this innovative technology. However, the factors related to VR implementation in healthcare settings are still not well understood.
This article explores the current state of VR implementation in pediatric healthcare, drawing insights from clinician perspectives to provide practical recommendations for designing effective VR interventions for young patients.
Barriers and Facilitators to VR Implementation
Through a review of the literature, a broad range of barriers and facilitators to the implementation of VR in healthcare settings have been identified. These can be organized using the NASSS framework, which examines the factors related to the technology itself, the target condition, the value proposition, the adopter system, the organization, the wider system, and the embedding and adaptation over time.
Barriers to VR Implementation
Organizational Barriers:
– Lack of time and resources for healthcare providers to learn and integrate VR into practice
– Insufficient technical support, treatment rooms, and VR equipment to enable widespread use
Adopter-Related Barriers:
– Perceived lack of evidence on the added value of VR for treatment
– Perceived lack of experience and confidence in using VR among healthcare providers
Technical Barriers:
– Functional issues with VR hardware and software
– Concerns about patient safety and comfort when using VR headsets
Other Barriers:
– Patient conditions and physical/cognitive limitations that may affect VR use
– High costs of purchasing and maintaining VR equipment
– Lack of personalization of VR applications to patient needs and treatment goals
– Lack of innovation-mindedness in organizations and absence of insurance reimbursement for VR use
Facilitators to VR Implementation
Organizational Facilitators:
– Providing training, time, resources, and technical support for healthcare providers to learn and use VR
– Creating a dedicated space and equipment for VR use in treatment
Adopter-Related Facilitators:
– Access to evidence demonstrating the added value of VR for treatment
– Increasing healthcare providers’ knowledge, skills, and experience with VR
Other Facilitators:
– Young patient age as an openness to new technology
– Ensuring patient safety and creating a controlled environment for VR use
– VR becoming more affordable and commonplace to enable wider adoption
Recommendations for Designing Effective Pediatric VR Interventions
Based on the insights gathered from clinician perspectives, we propose the following recommendations to guide the design of future pediatric VR interventions:
-
Increase Understanding of Patient Suitability: Clearly define the criteria for determining which pediatric patients are suitable candidates for VR treatment, considering factors such as physical, cognitive, and emotional limitations.
-
Improve Knowledge and Skills on VR Use: Develop comprehensive training programs and educational resources to equip healthcare providers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively integrate VR into their practice.
-
Improve Healthcare Providers’ Engagement with VR: Communicate the benefits of VR and its potential contributions to treatment, using successful case studies and supporting evidence to increase healthcare provider buy-in.
-
Ensure Availability of Support Staff: Provide dedicated technical support staff and experienced “VR champions” to assist healthcare providers with VR setup, troubleshooting, and ongoing maintenance.
-
Considerations for Developing VR Treatment: Establish clear treatment goals, allow patients to become familiar with the VR equipment and software, and gradually increase the difficulty level to challenge patients while maintaining engagement.
-
Support Functionality of VR Hardware and Software: Ensure that the VR hardware and software are appropriate for the patient’s age, physical abilities, and treatment needs, while maintaining the ability for healthcare providers and patients to interact during VR use.
-
Design VR Interventions with a Systematic Approach: Utilize theoretical implementation frameworks, such as the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) or the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB), to guide the development of a coherent, multi-level implementation intervention that addresses the needs of all stakeholders.
By incorporating these recommendations, designers and developers can create VR interventions that are better aligned with the needs and preferences of pediatric patients, their caregivers, and the healthcare professionals responsible for their care. This holistic approach can lead to improved uptake, sustained usage, and ultimately, enhanced outcomes for young patients undergoing medical procedures or treatment.
Conclusion
Virtual reality technology holds significant promise in improving the periprocedural experiences of pediatric patients. However, effective implementation remains a critical challenge, as evidenced by the barriers and facilitators identified in the literature.
By drawing insights from clinician perspectives, this article has outlined key recommendations to guide the design of future pediatric VR interventions. These include enhancing patient suitability assessment, improving healthcare provider knowledge and engagement, ensuring dedicated support, and adopting a systematic, theory-driven approach to implementation.
Implementing these recommendations can contribute to the increased adoption and sustained use of VR in pediatric healthcare settings, ultimately enhancing the experiences and outcomes for young patients and their families. As VR technology continues to evolve, ongoing collaboration between designers, developers, and clinical stakeholders will be essential to realizing the full potential of this innovative solution.