Meander Medical Center in the Netherlands uses ten VR glasses when treating patients. Because patients are completely in a different environment, they are distracted from their treatment. As a result, they experience less fear, pain, and stress. Six departments use the VR glasses, such as day treatment oncology and for contemplative care. SyncVR supplied the glasses.
Meander Medical Center has put a total of ten VR glasses into use in six different departments. The glasses are used during the treatments, so that patients experience less anxiety, pain, and stress. Because the patient concentrates on the images they see, the brain is so distracted that it experiences fewer fear stimuli. The glasses were purchased with financial support from the Friends of Meander.
A bike ride across the Veluwe
One of the six departments that has VR glasses is the department where patients come for day treatment oncology or for contemplative care. Team manager Annette Boersen says: “The VR glasses are already a popular item. You imagine yourself in a completely different world when you put on the glasses. Patients in our department see the glasses on another patient and then ask our employees if they can also put the glasses on. With the goggles on you are in an underwater world or take a bike ride on the Veluwe. Very special. Patients are pleasantly distracted from their treatment.”
Luuk Molenaar of SyncVR, supplier of the VR glasses: “The VR glasses are used in six different departments for, among other things: fear of needlesticks, relaxation during dialysis, acute pain relief during wound care and to reduce anxiety prior to surgery. The first messages I am now receiving from the departments are very positive.”
Patients Meander experience less anxiety
Michiel de Graaf is a nurse at the ER and staff advisor digitization in Meander. He contributed to the implementation of the VR glasses. He says: “Despite the fact that many hospitals and other healthcare institutions use VR glasses, I was still curious whether it would also work for us. I myself recently used VR glasses on a patient with a broken upper leg who was in a lot of pain despite pain relief. And it made a difference. She indicated that she had considerably less pain due to the distraction that the VR glasses provided. For me a great first test and hopefully a piece of technology that can continue to support treatment in the ER.”
