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Immersive Synchronous Telehealth Virtual Clinic
Share PrintThe Immersive Technology Pilot for Synchronous Telehealth in VHA Clinical Resource Hubs pioneers the first-ever deployment of virtual reality platforms for Veterans and clinicians to interact in shared, engaging virtual immersive reality spaces, an innovation not yet piloted anywhere in VHA. Through a CRADA partnership, this cutting-edge project tests standalone VR headsets with integrated Bluetooth peripherals at select sites to enable seamless, portable synchronous encounters. It aims to set a new standard for telehealth by evaluating user experience, workflow integration, and scalability to transform care delivery for rural Veterans nationwide.
Origin:
June 2024, Clinical Resource Hub Program
Adoptions:
2 in-progress
Awards and Recognition:
2026 VHA IE Entrepreneur in Residence
Partners:
Clinical Services, Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL), Office of Primary Care
Recent Updates
Overview
Problem
In the evolving landscape of telehealth, VHA seeks to pioneer a new era of patient-provider interaction for non-co-located clinicians and Veterans through immersive VR platforms, moving beyond traditional videoconferencing to create shared, engaging in virtual immersive environments that enhance connection and care delivery in Clinical Resource Hubs. The pil
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In the evolving landscape of telehealth, VHA seeks to pioneer a new era of patient-provider interaction for non-co-located clinicians and Veterans through immersive VR platforms, moving beyond traditional videoconferencing to create shared, engaging in virtual immersive environments that enhance connection and care delivery in Clinical Resource Hubs. The pilot's main initial goals are to evaluate feasibility and user acceptance of immersive VR for synchronous telehealth encounters, while deploying at 3-5 sites to assess workflow efficiency, clinical integration, and satisfaction via surveys and metrics, ultimately guiding scalability.
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Solution
The Immersive Technology Pilot introduces standalone VR headsets and peripherals through a CRADA partnership, enabling Veterans in local CRH clinics to engage in synchronous telehealth within shared virtual immersive environments alongside remote providers. This portable, innovative platform challenges the need for bulky equipment, streamlines clinical asses
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The Immersive Technology Pilot introduces standalone VR headsets and peripherals through a CRADA partnership, enabling Veterans in local CRH clinics to engage in synchronous telehealth within shared virtual immersive environments alongside remote providers. This portable, innovative platform challenges the need for bulky equipment, streamlines clinical assessments, and fosters immersive interactions to achieve the pilot's goals of feasibility testing, user satisfaction evaluation, and scalable workflow enhancements.
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Results
The pilot will deliver comprehensive data on VR telehealth feasibility, including user satisfaction surveys from Veterans and clinicians showing acceptance rates, workflow metrics demonstrating session times and any technical disruptions, and focus group insights identifying scalability facilitators. Successful outcomes at 3-5 sites will produce an implement
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The pilot will deliver comprehensive data on VR telehealth feasibility, including user satisfaction surveys from Veterans and clinicians showing acceptance rates, workflow metrics demonstrating session times and any technical disruptions, and focus group insights identifying scalability facilitators. Successful outcomes at 3-5 sites will produce an implementation guide, training resources, and a final report with recommendations for VHA-wide adoption, enhancing equitable access for rural Veterans.
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Metrics
- o Veteran Satisfaction - from post-session surveys targeting ease of use, engagement in an immersive virtual environment, and overall experience as well as qualitative feedback on immersion and connection quality.
- Provider Satisfaction: Clinician surveys measuring confidence in remote assessments, interaction quality, and comparison to traditional video with ratings on avatar realism and shared space utility
- Workflow ease - average session time and technical disruption rates
Diffusion tracker
Implementation
Timeline
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Pilot go-live in FY26 Q2-Q3
Finalize site selection (3–5 CRH locations), complete device configuration on VA networks, and deliver initial training for clinicians, onsite staff, and support teams. Begin phased go-live of immersive VR telehealth visits, starting with a small cohort of Veterans per site to validate workflows, safety, and technical reliability -
Iterative active pilot phase FY26 Q3-Q4
Conduct routine VR telehealth sessions, collecting post-visit Veteran and provider surveys and workflow metrics, with monthly virtual focus groups to identify issues and refine processes. Implement rapid-cycle improvements to training, workflows, and configuration based on feedback and data, documenting changes for future scaling. -
Evaluation and Next Phase Planning FY26 Q3-Q4
Aggregate and analyze all qualitative and quantitative data to assess feasibility, satisfaction, workflow impact, and potential scalability. Produce a concise evaluation report, implementation guide, and recommendations, and present results to VHA leadership to inform decisions on expansion, additional use cases, and follow-on funding.
Departments
- Primary care
Risks and mitigations
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Network Access: The delayed approved integration of the standalone VR headsets into the secure VHA network for hub-and-spoke CRH is a persistent risk causing delays in device approval/onboarding. | Network Access: The upcoming finalization of the OI&T RACI will help finalize the approval for the device integration into the VHA network so the pilot can kick off. |
| User Training and Adoption: Clinicians, staff, and Veterans may face steep learning curves with VR equipment and peripherals, requiring 2-4 weeks of site-specific training amid busy schedules, potentially leading to low adoption or workflow resistance. | User Training and Adoption: Close partnership with the front line testing with virtual/hands-on training tailored to schedules will support user iterative feedback from initial cohorts and clinician champions to build buy-in and refine onboarding materials. |
| Technical Reliability: Network outages, hardware/software failures, or bandwidth limitations could disrupt sessions, while Bluetooth peripheral connectivity issues might hinder clinical assessments during remote encounters. | Technical Reliability: Implement redundant connectivity checks and fallback to standard video telehealth; monitor sessions via platform logs for proactive troubleshooting, with vendor on-call support and site-specific bandwidth assessments pre-go-live. |
| Patient Suitability: VR contraindications (e.g., severe frailty, seizure disorders, motion sickness) exclude some Veterans, limiting generalizability and requiring pre-screening protocols. | Patient Suitability: Develop pre-screening protocols via intake questionnaires to identify contraindications; offer opt-out alternatives and track exclusion rates to inform inclusive adaptations for future scaling. |
About
Origin story
In the bustling world of VHA telehealth, as National CRH Senior Primary Care Consultant, I noticed a persistent gap during my decade-long frontline experience delivering virtual primary care to rural Veterans in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska—outdated equipment disrupting flows, and frustrating providers and patients.
Sparked by provider feedback from th
...
In the bustling world of VHA telehealth, as National CRH Senior Primary Care Consultant, I noticed a persistent gap during my decade-long frontline experience delivering virtual primary care to rural Veterans in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska—outdated equipment disrupting flows, and frustrating providers and patients.
Sparked by provider feedback from three 2024 sessions I facilitated, I championed a vision: immersive VR for shared virtual spaces between non-co-located patients and providers, an idea no VHA pilot had tested before. After 18 months of my collaboration, the CRADA finalized in June 2025, launching equipment testing and paving the way for upcoming testing at pilot sites.
Original team
Matthew Rogers, PA-C; National CRH Director
VISN 19 CRH Leadership Team
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