Immersive technology redefines care in Chinese hospitals

Despite challenges with elderly and critical patients, scenes dynamics and session duration promise to make therapy more accessible

A hospital located in Hunan province in downtown China has implemented virtual reality therapy (RV) in its infectious diseases, using engaging technology to assist patients in the management of emotional suffering. More than 30 cases have reported positive progress, with personalized RV content currently under development to further improve treatment, as reported by the Hospital to Global Times on Tuesday (25). According to the communication sector of The First Hospital of Changsha, RV therapy acts by reducing stress hormone levels while patients are inserted in reassuring virtual environments, allowing the brain to partially reduce pain sensations. The method was particularly efficient for bedridden patients and those undergoing prolonged treatments.

“When the RV device is activated, the hospital environment becomes highly realistic and relaxing scenes-a sunny beach, a forest full of bird corners or a snowy mountain or thermal source,” Kong Jinling, chief nurse of the hospital’s infectious diseases, to Global Times. Therapy employs psychological techniques such as therapeutic narrative, respiratory control, mindfulness, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and hypnosis.

Kong pointed out that a patient with cirrhosis with ICU syndrome – a condition in which physical fragility aggravates emotional suffering – participated in daily 30 -minute RV sessions. After two weeks of treatment, the patient had stabilized blood pressure and heart rate, improved sleep and reduction in infection indicators.

Patients admitted to infectious diseases often face recurrent symptoms such as fever, infections and bleeding, exacerbated by isolation, anxiety and fear of losing social bonds. Prolonged hospitalization has become a challenging mental and physical experience, Kong said.

Inspired by research and global case studies, the hospital launched the RV intervention program as a clinical psychological support tool. Since then, therapy has expanded to different scenarios: Patients with fever interact with penguins in Arctic Landscapes, people with pain ride near flowery lakes, and those who undergo procedures such as paracentesis and watch soft animations to relieve tension.

“Since May 2024, more than 30 patients have experienced RV therapy with mostly positive feedback,” Kong said.

However, challenges persist. Some elderly patients report dizziness, while severely sick may not tolerate long sessions. “We are refining solutions – adjusting scenes settings, customizing the content and shortening the duration,” explained Kong.

The organic integration of psychological intervention with RV technology this time proved to be an effective approach, the hospital’s nursing department told Global Times. “After success in the Department of Infectious Diseases, the hospital plans to expand the initiative to other sectors, such as intensive medicine, rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and infection immunology, offering patients more effective and comfortable emotional support.”

Previously, Mianyang’s third hospital in Sichuan province, southwest of China, used specific RV games to assist in the treatment of patients with mental disorders. Therapy simulated several medical contexts for patients. At the same time, digital cognitive rehabilitation devices employed computer assisted methods to help patients recover cognitive functions such as calculation and memory, according to the Xinhua news agency.

With information from Global Times*