AppliedVR just announced they have partnered with Curebase, a company that provides clinical trial software. This one-year agreement will allow AppliedVR to test its virtual reality treatment for chronic pain from patients’ homes.

The Curebase software will help manage online patient recruitment, consent, and participant engagement, as well as collecting patient-reported outcomes. It will also support clinical workflows and coordination of VR headset and trial kit distribution.

AppliedVR's platform has already been used by more than 30,000 patients in more than 240 of the top health systems globally. The platform uses VR headsets to create an immersive, 3D virtual world—has been aimed at alleviating everything from labor pains during childbirth to the pain from burns to discomfort experienced undergoing infusions for cancer treatment.

In addition, the company is building a VR pharmacy that personalizes therapies, content, and media based on patient needs. The company has developed more than 40 different VR modules to provide relaxation, engagement, and mindfulness.

Why is this Important?

While healthcare VR is a growing sector, one of the biggest challenges is skepticism about the impact of this technology on health outcomes, cost, effectiveness, and return on investment. Clinical trials like this one will provide data that can be used to get buy-in and alignment among patients, providers, and payers.