Using virtual reality at home

Gulf Coast VA has established a standardized Virtual Reality (VR) Home Use program. January 2025 marked one year since we launched this initiative, which coincided with efforts to streamline and bolster documentation and data collection for immersive therapy within the health care system.

Over 250 Veterans are now benefiting from having this technology available to them in their home to enhance therapeutic efforts for conditions such as pain, anxiety and stress.

Transforming Veteran care with VR

Virtual reality is defining a new landscape of health care for Veterans by fostering a deeper connection to therapy through sight, sound and touch. The VR Home Use program is designed to empower Veterans by providing access to therapeutic virtual experiences that reduce pain, alleviate anxiety and support self-care, all from the comfort of home. The initiative highlights VA’s forward-thinking approach, transforming health care delivery today, not just in the future.

How it works

The program follows a carefully structured process to ensure seamless integration and Veteran success:

• Initial training in clinics: Veterans complete their first VR session in a clinical setting, guided by trained staff to ensure safe, effective use and suitability.
• Documentation and device issuance: Clinicians document the session using a Virtual Reality Note, generating an auto-consult to the prosthetics department who then approves and ships the device directly to the Veteran’s home.
• Follow-up and evaluation: Veterans return for an in-person evaluation at 90 days to assess the effectiveness of VR as a supplement to Veterans care.

Key to the program’s success was a robust education and promotion strategy. We prioritized staff training and buy-in through open house events, town hall presentations and demonstrations of VR headsets. By ensuring clinicians and support staff were well versed in the program, we laid a strong foundation for effective rollout and Veteran engagement.

After establishing staff readiness, we launched a promotion campaign in March 2024. Banners in waiting areas, participation in Veteran-facing events and live demonstrations helped inform Veterans about this cutting-edge opportunity.

“In a one-year retrospective collection of data, we have noted potential improvement of pain management and anxiety reduction for Veterans who subsequently utilized VR as an intervention, indicated by a 37.4% reduction in pain scores, a 29.5% reduction in anxiety scores and a 43.2% reduction in stress scores,” said Kristy Antonucci, innovation specialist. 

Looking ahead

The success of the program has inspired ambitious plans for the future. We are exploring additional VR device options for more use cases. The team is also committed to expanding access to Veterans, sharing resources and lessons learned to help other facilities replicate this groundbreaking model.

“Having the framework within VA to support the forward motion of innovative programs and technology has been and will remain crucial in getting more options to Veterans in their homes as we look to the future,” said Sheena Strong, innovation specialist.