News
New technology a welcome distraction for young patients
May 27, 2016
The introduction of 3D distraction technology is helping to improve the experience of young patients at Joondalup Health Campus (JHC).
Purchased with a grant provided to JHC by Telethon, the VPod system provides a welcome distraction for children undergoing uncomfortable procedures in the new Telethon Children’s Ward at JHC.
The equipment provides breathtaking 3D images – including an underwater world, castles, butterflies and dinosaurs – which captivate and distract young patients enduring difficult and painful procedures such as injections, blood tests or blood transfusions.
By distracting patients, virtual reality can be a valuable tool in the perception of pain and anxiety associated with medical treatment.
Children usually become obviously engrossed in what they see through the 3D goggles and occasionally don’t even notice when treatments begin and end.
The VPod relaxes the child, which means that if they are properly distracted, the procedures carried out by medical staff can be less traumatic, making the visit to hospital a more positive experience.
Last year, Joondalup Health Campus treated more than 23,000 children in the hospital’s dedicated paediatric area in the Emergency Department, and more than 3,000 children were admitted to hospital.
The number of under 16-year-olds being treated at JHC has grown at an average of 10 per cent a year since 2007–08. The use of 3D distractor technology at JHC means more children can undergo their procedures with minimal pain or anxiety.