Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center hosts demo day for virtual reality and other immersive care tools

The Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center hosted an Immersive Demo Day where Veterans tried virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality tools that may be used in their health care, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said.

According to the department, Veterans tested VR headsets and interactive applications alongside active duty service members, community members and VA staff. VA said these technologies, known collectively as extended reality (XR), are being explored and used for mental health, pain management, physical rehabilitation, neurological risk assessment, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, addiction recovery, and physical and recreational therapy.

The event also brought together providers and program leaders to discuss expanding XR across VA, the department said. Ellesha McCray, acting medical center director, said the goal is for tools like XR to "become a normal part of the care we deliver in this community."

VA said it has deployed immersive technologies at more than 100 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics nationwide, supporting almost 8,000 Veteran immersive experiences. A national program, VA Immersive, helps facilities deploy the technology, train staff and gather Veteran feedback, according to the department.

Dr. Anne Lord Bailey, executive director of the Veterans Health Administration Strategic Initiatives Lab, said events like this allow VA to gather real-time feedback from Veterans.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/246