Healthcare anxiety is a significant barrier to access, leading to missed appointments, increased costs, and poorer patient outcomes. iSAVE (Improving Service Access using Virtual Exposure) is a cutting-edge AI-driven Virtual Reality (VR) tool designed to address this challenge. To assess its real-world impact, we conducted a series of focus groups with healthcare professionals, young adults, and clinical imaging specialists.
This case study outlines the key insights from these sessions and explores how iSAVE can transform patient experiences.
The Challenge: Anxiety-Driven Barriers to Healthcare
Accessing essential healthcare services can be a source of extreme anxiety for many individuals, particularly in high-stress environments such as MRI scans. Each year, the NHS loses approximately £11 million due to missed MRI appointments and incurs other costs due to poor-quality scans caused by patient distress. This issue is especially pronounced in children, where general anaesthesia is often the default solution to ensure cooperation.
Traditional approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or sedation, can be costly, resource-intensive, and inaccessible for many patients. There is a clear need for innovative solutions that help individuals manage their anxieties before they even reach the hospital.
Introducing iSAVE: A VR-Driven Solution for Healthcare Anxiety
iSAVE (Improving Service Access using Virtual Exposure) was developed under the Innovate UK-funded Mindset Grant to tackle this very challenge. Created in collaboration with the University of Exeter, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust, iSAVE leverages AI-driven adaptive Virtual Reality (VR) to help patients overcome healthcare-related anxieties.
At the core of iSAVE is our Empathic Learning Engine (ELE), an AI model that interprets human data, primarily from eye tracking, to estimate psychological states like stress and anxiety in real time. This enables iSAVE to tailor the VR experience dynamically, providing personalised exposure therapy designed to desensitise individuals to anxiety-inducing environments.
Evaluating iSAVE: Insights from Real-World Focus Groups
After our two-year development project ended, we conducted extensive focus groups to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and usability of iSAVE. These sessions were carried out in three diverse settings:
1. PETS (Paediatric Emergency Training Simulation) – Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust
We collaborated with PETS, a team of paediatricians and healthcare professionals, integrating iSAVE into their routine simulation training. This setting allowed us to explore how iSAVE could be applied across multiple clinical backgrounds and assess its potential for paediatric patient support.
2. Young Adult Usability Testing – South Devon College
Testing iSAVE with a group of young adults provided crucial insights into its accessibility and effectiveness. Younger users highlighted the potential of iSAVE in preemptively addressing healthcare-related anxieties before they escalate into barriers to care.
3. Clinical Imaging Specialists – Derriford BRIC Research Centre
Imaging professionals at the Biomedical Research and Imaging Centre (BRIC) at Derriford Hospital evaluated iSAVE in the context of clinical imaging pathways. Their feedback focused on how VR exposure therapy could integrate seamlessly into radiology departments to improve patient outcomes.
Key Findings: What Did We Learn?
Across all three focus groups, feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants highlighting several core benefits of iSAVE:
1. Realism and Engagement
Participants found the VR environment highly realistic, eliciting authentic responses that mirror real-life anxieties. Many emphasised how helpful it was to visualise the MRI process, particularly for those who had no prior exposure to it.
2. Anxiety Reduction Potential
A standout anecdote came from a participant who had previously cancelled an MRI appointment due to anxiety. After experiencing iSAVE, they felt confident they could now attend the procedure.
Implementation: How Can iSAVE Be Integrated into Healthcare?
To maximise the impact of iSAVE, we gathered insights from focus group participants on the best ways to integrate this technology into real-world healthcare settings. Key recommendations included:
- Radiology Referrals: Radiologists could recommend iSAVE as part of pre-procedure preparation for anxious patients.
- Paediatric Play Therapy: Play therapists, particularly for children, saw immense value in iSAVE for alleviating fears and preparing young patients.
- Community-Based Access: Making the software accessible for use at home could empower patients to engage with the tool in a familiar, low-pressure environment.
- Specialist Clinics: Hosting weekend or out-of-hours sessions at hospitals or GP surgeries to provide access to the experience for those with busy schedules.
Accessibility and Inclusivity: Breaking Down Barriers
One of the strongest themes from our focus groups was the importance of ensuring iSAVE remains inclusive and accessible for all users. Too often, cutting-edge technologies in healthcare inadvertently marginalise the people who need them most. iSAVE is committed to breaking these barriers by prioritising accessibility at every stage of development, ensuring individuals across all age groups and abilities can benefit.
The Future of iSAVE: Where Do We Go From Here?
The insights gained from these focus groups will directly inform the next phase of iSAVE’s development, helping us refine the software and enhance its usability. As adoption grows, iSAVE has the potential to revolutionise the way patients prepare for medical procedures, reducing healthcare anxiety, improving outcomes, and making healthcare more accessible for everyone.
