WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest Baptist Health has started offering virtual reality headsets to patients of all ages during their infusion therapy.

• A Winston-Salem hospital is using virtual reality to help patients
• The VR headsets provide patients a method of distraction
• The patients can play games, watch TV or movies, or watch nature scenes

The VR headsets are used for patients of all ages to help improve the patient experience and provide an immersive method of distraction.

The Interim Chair of the Department of Neurology, Dr. Charles Tegeler, said patients can choose from dozens of nature scenes, can play games, watch television or movies, and more.  

Tegeler said the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with many patients reporting significant reduction in pain and anxiety.

“Because I actually forgot where I was at and I have pain in my back and my lower extremities, but I forgot about all of that at the time I was going through that,” patient Bobby Gaither said.

Tegeler believes there could be unlimited opportunities to use this technology to educate and improve experiences for patients, as well as faculty and staff.