Digital Innovations for Better Engagement: Immersive Experiences

In this day and age, digital-native pediatric patients necessitate digital solutions for engagement. With the aim of improving patient and family engagement, new pediatric hospitals and departments are incorporating innovative technological solutions into the core of hospital design. These advancements not only enhance the overall healthcare experience but also provide valuable tools to support children's emotional well-being during their stay. In this series, we’ll take a look at some of the unique ways in which technology is being utilized to engage pediatric patients and their families, with a focus on the hospital spaces themselves.

Immersive Experiences

Augmented Reality (AR) technologies have rapidly gained popularity in patient-facing healthcare settings, particularly in pediatrics. By blending digital imagery with the real-world environment, AR creates interactive and engaging experiences that can be tailored to suit children's interests as well as existing hospital themes. While Virtual Reality (VR) experiences have also gained traction in healthcare spaces, AR works with existing spaces to familiarize patients with them, making the hospital welcoming and exciting instead of scary and unfamiliar.

SpellBound offers an array of tools and games specifically designed for children in hospitals. Using AR experiences, children can transcend the walls of the hospital room and embark on exciting adventures, effectively reducing anxiety and stress associated with medical procedures and stays. Whether it's exploring the depths of the ocean or traveling to outer space, SpellBound's immersive storytelling captivates young patients, turning their hospital stay into an unforgettable journey towards wellness.

For example, ARISE by SpellBound brings the pediatric patient into an underwater reef village that needs their help after a storm. Throughout a patient’s hospital stay, they are able to engage with the characters in the game while also engaging positively with the hospital space itself.

ARISE turns the hospital environment into an engaging underwater adventure

In summary, hospital visits can be overwhelming for pediatric patients and their families. Technology plays a crucial role in mitigating anxiety and stress associated with medical procedures and hospital stays. Interactive experiences can divert children's attention and provide a positive distraction, transforming a potentially frightening experience into an engaging and empowering one.

Technology has become an invaluable tool for engaging pediatric patients and their families in the healthcare journey. By leveraging innovative solutions like those offered by SpellBound, pediatric hospitals and clinics can transform the healthcare environment into a place of wonder, empowerment, and healing. As the field of pediatric healthcare continues to evolve, embracing technology will play a pivotal role in fostering patient and family engagement, resulting in improved outcomes and an enhanced overall experience for all.