Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology Weill Cornell Medicine New York, New York
This presentation highlights the unique potential of virtual reality (VR) therapy to enhance the effectiveness and speed of therapeutic change. We emphasize the distinction between VR as a delivery device and the content it delivers, which can address various healthcare issues, including medical education, interpersonal skills, and therapy for acute and chronic conditions. Additionally, we summarize the neurobiological effects of VR therapy, showing how it engages multiple brain learning centers to facilitate adaptive changes efficiently. Lastly, we differentiate between VR distraction tools for acute pain and VR therapy designed for long-term skill development, leading to lasting benefits for chronic pain management.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the unique potential of VR therapy to enhance the effectiveness and speed of therapeutic change by engaging multiple brain learning centers.
Explore how VR can be utilized to address diverse healthcare issues, including medical education, interpersonal skills, and therapy for acute and chronic conditions.
Compare the use of VR for acute pain distraction with VR therapy designed for long-term skill development, emphasizing its role in achieving lasting benefits for chronic pain management.
