Virtual Reality Changes the Concept of Patients’ Education, Patient Experience Report Study

Abstract

Patients undergoing radiotherapy will undergo a tidy process of frequent imaging modalities in a specified position. Before each scan, they are brought to the education clinic to explain the procedure, patients' positioning and any further specific instructions for the patient to be done during the scan. This however might increase the anxiety level of the patients as well as not comprehending it fully where it might affect scan quality and/or prolong scan duration which will play an important rule on patients' experience and satisfaction. We believe that virtual reality (VR) experience of the entire process could help increase the level of knowledge, satisfaction as well as reducing anxiety level. We created a 3D-360 Video module of radiation therapy treatment process. The module starts at CT/MRI simulation and treatment with specific instructions based on the desired site. Included sites of treatments' positioning were breast, head and neck, brain, pelvis as well as limp. then, we utilized a VR headset to preview it with the patient for clinical radiotherapy education. Patients were administered pre- and post-experience questionnaires and were assigned to 3 different groups. Group 1; conventional education; Group 2; VR education and Group 3; VR with conventional education. Questionnaires tested three main domains; patient experience & satisfaction, knowledge, and anxiety. Anxiety screening was done utilizing Stais-5 screening tool. Analysis was done utilizing SPSS version 23. A total of 62 patients participated in the study. In the VR group, Pre- patient's experience & satisfaction, knowledge, and anxiety scores were 90.8% and 93.4%, and only one patient screened positive for anxiety. In the post, 94.83%, 95.57%, and zero patients screened positive for anxiety. In the conventional arm, percentages were 90.2% and 87.5%, and four patients were anxious, whereas, post-reported, 89.8%, 90.3%, and two for anxiety. In conventional with VR arm, pre-recorded at 87.7%, 94.4%, and one patient for anxiety, whereas in the post, it was reported at 91.7%, 94.4 and one patient for anxiety. Virtual reality positively impacts patients' education & satisfaction and reduces anxiety levels for patients undergoing radiotherapy. More detailed prospective studies are needed to direct the future applicability of it in radiation therapy field.