Literature Collection

Virtual reality (VR) stands as an innovative technology transforming our interactions with the digital world. Its integration into health care has proven advantageous for both patients and health care providers across multiple levels and modalities. Given that VR is becoming increasingly accessible and prevalent, health care providers should explore incorporating the technology into their practices, particularly within the pediatric population, which is becoming progressively more accustomed to the technology. This topic synopsis provides a broad discussion of the current literature, exploring current and probable future applications of VR in pediatric patient care, particularly in improving the hospital experience, facilitating education during hospitalizations, providing an alternative to pharmacological therapy for pain management, and enhancing mental health care practices.

BACKGROUND: Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) utilizes telemedicine to connect a multidisciplinary team of experts with a -network of primary care physicians to enable rapid dissemination of evidence-based -guidelines and practices at scale. In this study, the Project ECHO model disseminated the Arizona Pain and Addiction Curriculum to providers in rural Arizona with the goal to educate providers on medication-assisted treatment (MAT). METHODS: Participants engaged in biweekly, virtual teleECHO sessions, and post-session surveys were used to collect data on provider satisfaction, self-efficacy, knowledge, barriers to change, and changes in practice behavior. RESULTS: Between February 2020 and November 2020, the MAT-ECHO program hosted 20 teleECHO sessions (N = 20) with 255 unique participating providers and delivered 877 learning hours. Analysis of a 6-month post-ECHO survey (N = 13) demonstrated that teleECHO sessions had broad geographic outreach. Participants had an average of 12 years of experience, 38 percent held NP/PA professional degrees, and 54 percent practiced in opioid treatment program settings. Assessment of job satisfaction and well-being revealed overall improved satisfaction among the small cohort of nonwaivered respondents (N = 8), except for meeting patient's needs. MAT-waivered respondents reported no post-session changes. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this study demonstrated that teleECHO sessions were well attended, consisted of a diverse cohort with various degrees, and had broad geographic outreach; hence, the utilization of the teleECHO model has the potential to reach rural providers and subsequently increase the availability and -efficacy of MAT in rural America.