As seen in: BC Children’s Hospital Foundation News

Everyone wants a child’s hospital experience to be a happy one. Though hospitals do their best to create a welcoming space for children, it’s hard for them to feel entirely positive when receiving medical treatment or expecting an upcoming surgery.

It’s easy to wish we could turn a child’s medical scan appointment into an exciting game–and with immersive technologies like virtual reality, we now can.

The Digital Lab, a unit within the BC Children’s Hospital, develops digital technology to positively impact children’s healthcare experiences, bringing a new way of pediatric treatment across the hospital. The lab explores how virtual reality (VR) can better prepare children for their medical treatments.

VR is technology that immerses users in an interactive 3D experience, allowing them to see a digital environment instead of the physical world. An example of this is VR headsets, which places a small screen in front of the eyes. With kids being able to explore outside their hospital room and into a new digital world, they can have a positive outlook during medical treatments with less discomfort.

“Immersive technologies open up brand-new opportunities at the BC Children’s Hospital to enhance the experience and quality of care for patients and families.”

—John Jacob, Director and Head of the Digital Lab

By allowing smoother ways to prepare children in busy hospital settings, immersive technologies are valuable in helping children through anxiety-inducing procedures. The efficiency and comfort VR brings makes it a promising addition to healthcare, with several future advancements to come in the future.

As the Digital Lab continues to build these advancements with VR, they continue their goal of helping child health through digital technology and innovation to create a stronger field of pediatrics.

You can read more about the Digital Lab’s initiatives with immersive technology in the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation News and the lab’s case studies: