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Cover Story: Centric Consulting Pilot Project Using

Virtual Reality to Benefit Hospice, Assisted Living Patients

Continued from page 1
Refining the Patient Experience Though the pilot is in its early stages,
an escape from their everyday lives— According to Centric Consulting Centric hopes to compile this data in
whether that’s through a virtual tour of National Healthcare Practice Lead Dr. dashboard form to monitor how the
Italy, a scuba-diving experience, or just Marcie Stoshak-Chavez, the idea for the adjunctive distraction therapy is work-
time spent in a calm, meditative place. project was sparked by an article she saw ing. “Though it’s a very small-scale pro-
“One of the biggest benefits of this
He nf I h lt a or on i t a m written by one of her former healthcare gram, we’re hoping to determine if there
technology is that it allows our commu- residents who was involved in hospice has been a decrease in medication or
nity members to find their happy place,”
ch e T y g o l o n and palliative care in California. Centric anxiety following these experiences, and
said Lisa Izzo, Vista Springs Quail began working with the San Diego-based to track if it is truly helping,” said Dr.
Hollow life engagement director. “It pro-
m a r g o Pr hospice for initial testing before launch- Stoshak-Chavez.
vides a distraction and relieves anxiety ing the pilot at Vista Springs. “End-of-life care is a really difficult
EN EN E ENN R R NR NROO IN IN L L L L OL OL O O N N G G G G W W without the use of pain medications. “Originally, we used commercially time, not only for the patients, but for
“As one of our community members
their family members,” she added. “We
told me, it takes them to a different available programs from YouTube and want to see if we can use virtual reality as
other sources, but now we’re in the
te a m im ti s Es E ti ted ti m im ti e t too c o com e te e le p mpl t : 2 y e year s rs world,” she added. “It gives them a dif- process of curating the experiences,” a distraction to what is happening, and
ferent kind of joy.” said Dr. Stoshak-Chavez. “If a patient is to possibly decrease the amount of opi-
Residents who want to take part in the
To T o le ar n mo , c e r l al program don a virtual reality headset, anxious, they may want a meditative oids used, which would allow patients to
7 41 . 7. 3 2 . 5 0 3 41 and choose from different experiences experience, like watching the Northern be more present with their loved ones.”
The project, which was funded by
Lights, which is very relaxing. Or they
that they would like to see. Using a may want to revisit a place where they Microsoft, is well-liked by patients and
tablet, a healthcare assistant follows their grew up. There is a variety of different their families, and Dr. Stoshak-Chavez
m a i M i D d a e C ll o eg e - Medi a c l C us p m a journey, monitoring their progress. What content available.” said that down the road, Centric may
0 5 9 N .W. 0 2 th . St makes the Centric pilot unique is that in While many users express happiness look at a way to provide a more shared
addition to the VR equipment, an app with the programs, which usually last experience, perhaps using multiple
has been created that allows care about 10 minutes, Centric is using its headsets so that all family members can
providers to monitor the person’s physi- mobile app to collect less subjective data participate. In the meantime, Vista
cal and mental condition both before and as well. “Our mobile app is unique in Springs is considering using the technol-
after the experience. In addition to mon- that it can collect vital signs from the ogy in more of their assisted living facil-
itoring vital signs, participants are also user both before and after the experi- ities.
asked to respond to a short survey. ence; we monitor oximetry, respiration “The feedback our community mem-
“We’re really big on the whole-life and more,” said Dr. Stoshak-Chavez. bers are giving is amazing, so we’re hop-
experience for our community members, “It also keeps track of what medica- ing to expand it even further,” said Izzo.
and in a way, this has helped to bring life tions they are on, and when they were “When it’s over, they ask, ‘Does it have to
back,” said Izzo of the reaction of those last used,” she added, “as well as records end?’ They are loving where they were.”
involved in the pilot. “It’s giving them a their answers about how they are feeling,
chance to experience things that they if they have anxiety, and where they are To learn more, visit Centric Consulting at
it s i V w . c d m . w w edu m /medi al c have been missing because of the aging on a pain scale. There are a lot of differ- www.CentricConsulting.com
process.”
ent data points.” or call 888-781-7567.

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8 December 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News