A newly struck partnership is looking to provide a sense of ease and comfort to children anticipating medical procedures, particularly surgeries, using the power of virtual reality. Before Inc. and Saritasa Technology Solutions have introduced a unique VR experience designed to prepare children and young teens for procedures by familiarizing them with the variety of medical tools that will be utilized as well as the environment in which they will undergo the operation, all in the interest of relieving preoperative anxiety.
Studies assessed by Pediatric Health, Medicine, and Therapeutics indicate that anywhere from half up to 75% of pediatric patients have issues with preoperative stress. The “day-of” primer via VR is meant to in effect take the mystery out of the medicine. "Even minor surgery can be terrifying for kids," said Before Inc. Co-Founder Dr. Warren Scott Comulada. "We created a virtual experience to make kids more comfortable with what happens in the operating room. They get 'hands-on' experience with blood pressure machines, oxygen masks, and other medical devices. It's much more realistic and more effective than using picture books or videos."
Before Inc. recently earned a spot as one of the Battlefield 200 companies to be featured at the mid-October TechCrunch event in San Francisco. There, it had the opportunity to rake in extra funds to bolster its fleshing out and commercialization efforts for adoption of the platform, which is presently open to testing and feedback in a number of children’s hospitals and clinics.
