Patient Engagement

Cedars Sinai Medical Center will begin to use virtual reality technology from Applied VR, in hopes of easing patients' pain with without use of drugs. Hospital executives say it will introduce VR content first in its Spine Center. Cedars-Sinai is among the first hospitals to employ scalable VR technology. It invested in AppliedVR via its TechStars healthcare accelerator. AppliedVR’s developed its main products in partnership with Cedars-Sinai. The first product suite, Pain RelieVR, offers immersive VR games that divert the patient's focus away from the procedure or recovery process. As an example, Guided Relaxation, which was developed with psychologists and leading academics, is used to help transport a patient from the medical environment to a peaceful scenic place, to relax and learn mindfulness and acceptance-based techniques. It is designed to help the patient manage stress and anxiety. "VR is entering an 'age of utilization' in healthcare, with hospitals and surgery centers seeking new ways to increase patient satisfaction, better manage pain, and reduce hospital stays, Matthew Stoudt, AppliedVR, co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. [Also: Cedars-Sinai deploys HomeHero's Apple CareKit app for care transitions] "AppliedVR is an extremely valuable option for healthcare providers seeking to enhance the patient experience and positively impact patient outcomes," Richard B. Jacobs, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Cedars-Sinai, added. Brennan M. Spiegel, MD, director of Health Services Research in Academic Affairs and Clinical Transformation at Cedars-Sinai, describes virtual reality as similar to "dreaming with your eyes open." It helps patients reduce pain without medications or drugs. AppliedVR has begun a limited roll out of the technology in the Orthopaedic Center with the remaining areas scheduled to come onboard next month. Twitter: @Bernie_HITN Email the writer: bernie.monegain@himssmedia.com Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook and LinkedIn

The hospital and technology incubator are jointly working on a population health tool, to debut next year, that will tie together disparate data sets and resources designed to advance individual and community health. 

Doctors used a 3D rendering of Linda Green’s kidney to determine the best way to maneuver around arteries and remove a tumor.

Cedars-Sinai's new Safe Transition Home initiative aims to reduce hospital readmissions and improve outcomes by smoothly transitioning people from the inpatient setting to their homes.

Healthcare and other industries are on the cusp of a new age of enlightened consumers that recognize the value of sharing data to foster innovations otherwise not possible.

Google, the world's most used search engine, is partnering with two of the world's leading health organizations to take the confusion out of symptom searching.

New alliance with CMIO group another step toward expanding to 50 million people in the next three years.

Connected, engaged patients are no longer the future, but today’s reality. Jump into this Healthcare Perspectives to learn about advances in consumer and health-focused technology.

HIMSS16 Social Media Ambassadors Rasu Shrestha and Bill Bunting weigh in on the lackluster progress of innovation in healthcare, interoperability and patient care. Part of the Social Media Debates series hosted by Beth Jones Sanborn, Managing Editor of Healthcare Finance.

Researchers point to 'Total Active Risk' model to better address care coordination, patient activation.