Search

Chronic pain is a notable issue of public healthcare, causing enormous direct and indirect costs, and a reduction of the quality of life in the affected patients. In this study, we have used Virtual Reality (VR) as a method to reduce stress, anxiety and pain in patients affected by chronic pain. We examined two cohorts of patients: an experimental group and a control group. The patients in the experimental group were administered eight VR sessions, each of those lasted thirty minutes, while the control group had a standard therapy. The results are encouraging: they demonstrate the efficacy of VR treatment and the safety of the method.

Creating a significant negative impact on both their quality of life and the quality of patient care with an evident economical burden for the healthcare system, there is a growing concern over physician burnout. The range of interventions and treatments that have been used to address this problem, however, appear quite fragmented and lack compelling efficacy. We describe the main factors known to contribute to the development of physician burnout as well as currently available treatments. Studies seem to indicate that both specialisation area as well as personality traits may contribute to the manifestation. The highest risk specialties appear to be critical care physicians, emergency physicians, oncologists and internal medicine physicians, while the highest risk personality attributes are high neuroticism, low agreeableness, introversion, and negative affectivity. In addition, being exceedingly enthusiastic about one's work and having high aspirations at work, with an idealistic approach, also serve as factors which contribute to increased risk of burnout, and in particular for those who are new to the occupation.

This paper discusses new developments in advanced medical technology which may in the short term be applicable to NATO multinational medical operations. To supply more realistic military medical training, The Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC) conceptualized and developed a unique injury simulator as an adjunct to current combat medic training. This initial technology, called Injury Creation Science (ICS), very realistically simulated a number of battlefield injuries such as amputations, eviscerations, blast injuries, punctures, and burns. Since the initial prototypes, VRMC has developed this technology into wearable part-task trainers that simulate injuries as well as allow combat medics to practice actual medical procedures common to the battlefield. The progression of these trainers has been under the guidance and partnership with the U.S. Army Research and Engineering Command Simulation and Technology Training Center (RDECOM STTC). The procedures currently available or under development include treatment of pneumothorax, hemoperitonium, and gunshot wounds to an artery. By integrating medical science with cutting edge simulation and training technologies, realistic prosthetic tissue, wounds, and part task trainers have been developed for the training of trauma care clinicians. The next generation of Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) includes the use of prosthetics developed based on human anatomy and physiology, material science, and nanotechnology. Testing has revealed that these products are highly useful and reliable and can easily be integrated into existing protocols for enhancement of the training experience., See also ADA564622. Use of Advanced Technologies and New Procedures in Medical Field Operations (Utilisation de technologies avancees et de procedures nouvelles dans les operations sanitaires). RTO-MP-HFM-182.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most debilitating psychological disorders affecting United States soldiers and veterans who have been exposed to combat. Treatments for PTSD include psychological debriefing, which has been criticized lately for its questionable efficacy, and imaginal exposure therapy, which is problematic in that some PTSD sufferers are unable to engage well enough to elicit the necessary response. The weaknesses inherent in these treatments have created a pressing need for alternatives. One promising option is to utilize virtual reality graded exposure therapy (VRGET). The Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC) is currently conducting research, funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), studying virtual reality therapy as an early intervention tool for PTSD., See also ADM001955, RTO-MP-HFM-134. Presented at the Conference on Human Dimensions in Military Operations: Military Leaders' Strategies for Addressing Stress and Psychological Support, held in Brussels, Belgium, on 24-26 Apr 2006. Published in the Proceedings of the Conference, p45-1 through 45-8, 2006.