Table 4 Perceived barriers and enablers of using VR technology in a hospital setting
Barriers | N (%) |
Cost | 105 (78) |
Insufficient IT support | 96 (72) |
Insufficient clinician skill/knowledge to operate VR | 91 (68) |
Lack of clinician time to learn how to use VR | 87 (65) |
Additional time required to use VR in a treatment session | 73 (54) |
Patient resistance or reluctance | 64 (48) |
Insufficient or no available treatment space/s to use VR | 49 (37) |
Insufficient or poor quality evidence to support the use of VR | 39 (29) |
Safety concerns (such as infection and/or injury risk) | 32 (24) |
Lack of suitability for some patient groups (such as older adults, those with cognitive impairment, vestibular problems) | 26 (19) |
Clinicians not interested in using VR technology | 18 (13) |
Concerns for VR technology replacing the role of clinicians | 15 (11) |
Othera | 14 (10) |
Enablers | N (%) |
Training courses for clinical staff on VR use | 114 (85) |
Designated IT support personnel | 107 (80) |
Access to portable and/or wireless VR technology to use in hospital (such as Smartphone VR applications) | 89 (66) |
Designated VR treatment space in the hospital | 82 (61) |
Clinical evidence summaries or guidelines on VR use | 82 (61) |
Access to VR software developers and/or design experts | 76 (57) |
Local VR champions within the clinical setting | 75 (56) |
The ability to record and store data for tracking patient progression | 70 (52) |
The ability to develop customised VR programs/software | 67 (50) |
Instructional brochures or pamphlets | 61 (46) |
Subsidised access to VR devices | 62 (46) |
Financial incentives for VR treatment | 59 (44) |
Otherb | 8 (6) |