Virtual Reality and Immersive Technologies at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health

Pediatric specialists at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford are implementing innovative uses for immersive virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies to advance patient care and improve the patient experience.

Through the hospital’s Chariot program, Packard Children’s is one of the only hospitals in the world to have VR available on every unit to help engage and distract patients undergoing a range of hospital procedures. Within the Betty Irene Moore Children’s Heart Center, three unique VR projects are influencing medical education for congenital heart defects, preparing patients for procedures and aiding surgeons in the operating room. And for patients and providers looking to learn more about some of the therapies offered within our Fetal and Pregnancy Health Program, a new VR simulation helps them understand the treatments at a much closer level.

The Childhood Anxiety Reduction through Innovation and Technology (CHARIOT) Program: Alleviating patients’ pain and anxiety with VR and AR technology

The Stanford Virtual Heart: Educating patients and medical trainees about 20+ congenital heart defects with a virtual reality tour of the heart

Project Brave Heart: Studying the impact of virtual reality preparation and relaxation therapy

All of these technologies and programs have the potential to be adopted in other areas of specialized, acute care at Packard Children’s Hospital and elsewhere.