Large project with RBP and five health facilities

VR LIFE and RBP, together with healthcare facilities, have their finger on the pulse of the virtual age

Earlier this year, RBP, a health insurance company, decided to launch a unique project in the field of virtual reality in rehabilitation. Together with VR LIFE, they have set up a one-year project to objectively demonstrate the benefits of incorporating virtual reality into rehabilitation. At the beginning they met Ing. Antonín Klimša, MBA (CEO of RBP), Ing. Pavel Rydrych (RBP Healthcare Director) and Mgr. From the discussion on the involvement of VR rehabilitation came the idea for this groundbreaking project. Participating healthcare providers have the opportunity to work with the VR Vitalis® Pro system, a certified healthcare product from VR LIFE, which is developed together with doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other experts.

How does such a project work? A group of patients is selected to undergo rehabilitation so that they will use VR Vitalis® Pro in addition to conventional therapy. And they will be compared with another group of patients who will undergo only conventional therapy for the same indication. The results will show how virtual rehabilitation affects the patient's condition. And not only the medical one, it is also being found out how patients perceive this VR rehabilitation, but also how it works for healthcare professionals. The impact on the healthcare system is also an important aspect. Will virtual reality speed up rehabilitation? Will it save money from health insurance? The project will answer these questions.

Why did RBP, the health insurer, decide to take on this unique project? This question will be answered by Ing. Pavel Rydrych, Director for Healthcare.

"RBP follows the trends in modern medicine. Virtual reality in rehabilitation is one of the projects in which we test the effectiveness of new therapeutic methods. We are interested in the benefits for the patient, but of course we also monitor the cost component of the care provided. Currently, the proposal is to introduce virtual reality among rehabilitation procedures covered by public health insurance, so we would like to obtain sufficient qualified information about this method. Another reason for our initiative is, of course, our interest in offering our clients the best possible quality of care."

So how does virtual reality rehabilitation work? The patient is fitted with virtual goggles, where they practice selected modules (according to their indication), in an environment that is comfortable for them. And it's not just the classic repetition of movements according to a programmed avatar. It is all done in the form of a game that has precise rules, is interesting, motivates the patient and leads him to heal more effectively and faster. But isn't this an aid mainly for young patients who are technically inclined? This question will be answered by the CEO of VR LIFE, Jana Trdá. "No, patients of different ages practice with our app, from children to seniors at a very advanced age (the oldest was 98 years old). Seniors make up more than half of the patients who use VR Vitalis® Pro, precisely because they have more health problems."

Due to the demographic curve, when the population is ageing rapidly, more and more people are becoming ill and waiting longer and longer for rehabilitation. It is therefore essential to come up with options that can speed up rehabilitation, make it more efficient and thus relieve the system (and of course help patients). Virtual reality is one way that seems to be very suitable. It is starting to become more and more prevalent in rehabilitation.

And which healthcare providers are participating in the project?

The Neurological Clinic of the University Hospital Ostrava. Here the project is led by doc. MUDr. Ondřej Volný, Ph.D., FESO. Here they focus on patients in the sub-acute phase of CMP (central stroke or stroke). And as doc. Volný responded to the question, why did they get involved? "I see the introduction of VR rehabilitation at our clinic as an important step and another innovation in the cutting-edge care we provide to stroke patients in the Czech Republic. I am very pleased that we are the first cerebrovascular centre in the Czech Republic to be able to use this modern neurorehabilitation tool (VR Vitalis® Pro) in routine clinical practice and to participate in research and development."

But the project is not just about large healthcare facilities. Many patients go to outpatient facilities for rehabilitation. OK Rehabilitation is one of them. In the project, they focus on patients with upper or lower limb pain, whether after injuries, illnesses or operations. And how did Radka Jersáková, head physiotherapist, comment on the project? "We decided to offer the use of VR in outpatient physiotherapy practice because it provides an opportunity to practice with a distraction from the main problem - the pain that clients come with. By entering the 'other world' of play, they are able to engage their brains in a different way - in the sense of focusing on circumstances other than the pain that limits them in their daily lives."

Another option for treating patients is spa care. Luhačovice Spa is another facility involved. Here, the project focused on patients with chronic lung disease. How did MUDr. Petr Pšenica, chief physician of Luhačovice Spa, comment on this? "We see a great future potential in the field of telemedicine in Luhačovice Spa. Virtual reality belongs to this set of various technologies and methods. Its use in rehabilitation offers new therapeutic possibilities and enables the objectification of the results achieved. That is why we were happy to take the opportunity to participate in the project. We aim at the project in an original way: to evaluate the benefits of this method in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic lung disease. We believe that rehabilitation in a virtual environment will soon become a standard part of treatment procedures."

Another hospital, this time a smaller one, which has joined the project is the Municipal Hospital of Odry. Here they will focus on patients with shoulder joint dysfunction, as this is an indication they often encounter in physiotherapy. The reason for joining the project was expressed by Mgr. "We are a collective that likes to include new things in physiotherapy. It helps the patients because everyone is affected by something different, and this way we can give them a choice. Our experience is that combining different technologies and approaches increases the effect of rehabilitation."

The five selected facilities are rounded off by the Teplice nad Bečvou Spa. Here, they decided to focus on respiratory problems of both children and adults, and possibly on physical rehabilitation after upper limb and spine surgery. About the project, the head nurse told us

Gabriela Hanslianová, MD: "Joining the project was very attractive for us. We are going to check how this new innovation in rehabilitation will be received by our patients. We believe that it will benefit them, it will help the staff in facilitating cooperation with patients and with each other, and it will partly compensate us for the shortage of staff." The project aims to test how far virtual reality is beneficial in rehabilitation.

Of course, there are many studies that have already proven the positive impact on patients, however, this project is also looking at virtual reality from a system and rehabilitation cost perspective. If it proves that it not only helps patients, but does so without putting more strain on the healthcare system and budget, or relieving it, it will be another big step in its expansion as a standard approach in rehabilitation.