Enhancement of Immersive Technology Use in Pediatric Health Care With Accessible, Context-Specific Training: Descriptive Feasibility Study

Abstract

Background: Immersive technology provides adjuncts for pediatric care. However, accessibility and inadequate training limit implementation of this technology. Standardized instruction with no-cost software licensing may improve health care professionals’ facility with immersive technologies. Objective: This descriptive feasibility study aimed to examine the applications of immersive technologies in pediatric health care, including virtual reality (VR) and projectors. Methods: We developed immersive technology instructional guides for pediatric health care. The training guides were created for multiple software content and hardware types across several clinical scenarios. Content was available in print and digital versions. The primary outcome was technology use across sites with no-cost software agreements. The secondary outcome was the specific application types used at a single site, stratified by sessions and minutes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Data were collected from 19 licensed sites from January through June 2022. Among the 19 sites, 32% (n=6) used 10 or more VR units. Among the 6 sites that had projectors, half used 5 or more units. The mean minutes of use per month of all sites combined was 2199 (IQR 51-1058). Three sites had more than 10,000 minutes of total use during the 6-month review period. Secondary results indicated that active VR (977 total sessions) and passive projector streaming (1261 total sessions) were the most popular application types by session, while active projector (66,849 total minutes) and passive projector streaming (32,711 total minutes) were the most popular types when stratified by minutes of use. The active VR application with the most minutes of use was an application often used in physical therapy. Conclusions: Context-specific technological instruction coupled to no-cost licenses may increase access to immersive technology in pediatric health care settings.