Our Research
CHIMERA LEGACY FOUNDATION
VIRTUAL REALITY (VR AID) PROGRAM
Holiday From Hospital
Chimera Legacy Foundation have identified a significant unmet need and have developed a patient centric solution to address stress associated with hospitalisation. In hosting group VR therapy sessions at RBWH feedback was collected for more understanding of the direct patient need. Chimera learned that providing virtual travel destinations eased the stress patients were experiencing due to hospitalisation revealing a clear desire to escape hospital for a calming environment in order to help cope with their treatment.
Program Validation and Accreditation - Feasibility Study
Chimera Legacy Foundation has conducted a VR Feasibility Study into the safe and effective use of our Virtual Reality program for patients in hospitals in the hope of increasing acceptance within the healthcare industry and in particular within the hospital system.
Chimera understands the importance of providing patients with the best possible experience, one that is recognised by clinicians as using best practice methodologies and has been properly reviewed and validated as a safe and effective mental wellbeing program.
Abstract:
Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used in health care, however, its use as part of therapy during prolonged inpatient treatments is less well established. This study assessed the experience of haemato-oncology inpatients, their carers or relatives and staff of a 20-minute VR expedition to assess acceptability, safety and opportunities to improve inpatient experience.
Methods:
Through several familiarisation days, patients, supporters, and clinical staff took part in a supervised 20-minute trial of a 3-dimensional (3-D) VR escape using Google WanderTM using an Oculus Quest 2 VR HeadsetTM. Participants completed a validated survey of their VR experiences.
Results:
31 patients, 10 staff members and 9 relatives or patient friends visited 55 unique countries with 19 participants (38%) wishing to visit home, family, or friends. All participants enjoyed the experience, felt energised and had a sense of well-being following the immersion. One participant felt fatigued by the experience. No one found the experience disagreeable with none recording difficulty in navigating within the device. No participant complained of nausea with two patients experiencing dizziness and one developing a headache. Nine participants (18%) complained of eyestrain while 12 participants (24%) complained of a sense of “head fullness”. None of the symptoms were perceived to need to shorten the immersion experience or lasted beyond the immersion.
Conclusion: 3D-VR i “holiday from hospital” can be used in acute inpatients safely with little supervised training and broad acceptance of the technology potentially providing a distraction from clinical care routines.
Program Evaluation and Methodology
Chimera have identified the gaps within the healthcare system currently slowing the adoption of Virtual Reality therapy for improved mental wellbeing and have developed a solution that aims to fill these gaps.
Chimera understands the value of each healthcare provider and their crucial role in the care for their patient. With careful consideration into the resourcing for new innovative approaches to healthcare Chimera have designed a service model to allow for instant access to VR therapies including a standalone on demand VR therapy system.
Methodology
Theory – Provide distraction therapy, as a form of escapism, using VR experiences to reduce environmental stress and treatment anxiety associated with hospital admissions
Objective – Deliver equal access to Virtual Reality therapies to all patients having treatment in hospital
Participatory – Provide resourcing, device management services and technical support to hospital staff and volunteers
Impact – Equip multiple wards with VR infrastructure within the hospital in order to reach more patients
Systematic review – Collect feedback, review and refine program
Our Focus
A national study conducted by all.can Australia and consistent with international research has highlighted the need for improvement in key areas in particular within the Integrated Multidisciplinary Care results. Chimera Legacy Foundation has a focus on improving areas in which 63% of patients were not offered complimentary therapies, And, of the 64% of patients reported to need some sort of psychological support. Refer to the information chart below.
Virtual Reality is an emerging field and Chimera is proud to pioneer the implementation of VR for patients.
Chimera seeks to expand Holiday from Hospital across more hospital sites to accommodate for equity of access with a clear goal to positively impact the mental wellbeing for patients receiving treatment in hospital.
The aim of this program is to provide all hospital ward patients equity of access to Virtual Reality in the hope that VR becomes a standard form of distraction therapy for inpatients staying in hospital.
Impact
A case study was undertaken at RBWH (Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital) to learn the average time spent using the VR program was 20 – 40 minutes per VR session respectively. Given this, an average patient service ratio of 1:5 (1 Headset service 5 patients per 24 hour period) was set to approximate the potential impact.
| Number of VR | Reach per 24 hour period | Number of days | Potential Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
|
3 |
15 |
30 |
450 |
|
6 |
30 |
30 |
900 |
|
9 |
45 |
30 |
1350 |
Research Australia Award Winners for 2021
