Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth has begun the rollout for a virtual reality program for adult patients seeking care at the health system's outpatient infusion centers.
UCHealth developed the program in partnership with Rendever, a Cambridge, Mass.-based company that develops virtual reality platforms for seniors in assisted-living facilities. With Rendever's VR headsets, caregivers can guide UCHealth patients through virtual reality experiences like a waterfall or a Vincent van Gogh painting to distract them from the infusion process.
UCHealth officials anticipate a broad rollout of the program in early 2018. Based on a pilot program from this summer, 88 percent of participating patients said they would use VR again, according to UCHealth officials. Ninety-four percent of caregivers also indicated they would use the VR service again.