Hospitals have begun to use virtual reality technology to ease fear and boost pain management, according to an article on The Inquirer website.
Hospitals are also using the technology for patient education and wellness, as well as staff training.
At Philadelphia's Abramson Cancer Center, for instance, a virtual reality station consists of a comfy chair and a headset. Nearby, a small television monitor lets others view what the user is seeing.
The program is intuitive to use, and most patients catch on quickly, said Fern Nibauer-Cohen, director of patient engagement and business development at Penn Medicine. "It relaxes even the most anxious of minds."