A futuristic medical revolution has been unfolding in recent months across Israel’s healthcare system: virtual reality, once primarily associated with gaming, is now making a powerful entry into treatment rooms, catheterization labs, and clinics. With easy-to-use personal VR glasses, medical teams are significantly reducing patient anxiety just before stressful procedures.
At Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, an innovative initiative was launched several weeks ago, bringing virtual reality to the waiting rooms before catheterization. Patients arriving for the procedure are given VR glasses to watch an in-depth, precise explanatory video illustrating every step of the catheterization process. The video not only showcases the room, equipment, and medical team but also includes explanations from the department head and head nurse, providing a sense of familiarity and reassurance.
“We see that fear and anxiety before catheterization alter the patient’s experience and may even affect the procedure’s outcome,” explains Prof. Eyal Ben-Assa, director of the catheterization unit at the hospital. “Using VR allows for early preparation, instills a sense of control, and addresses concerns in a way that eases the process. Patients report a significant drop in anxiety levels, a calmer mindset before the procedure, and greater confidence in the medical team and the process overall.”
According to Prof. Ben-Assa, beyond emotional relief, the method also has the potential to directly impact medical outcomes: “A calmer patient cooperates better, the procedure is shorter, and recovery is often faster. This is a simple, accessible technology, and its impact is astounding.”
Clalit Health Services has also recognized the potential of this technology. In recent years, these glasses have been used for blood tests in adults, adolescents, and children, utilizing calming apps and videos. In this way, the technology helps reduce patients’ anxiety just before they enter the treatment room.
Efi Gil, a medical psychologist and instructor at Clalit Health Services and XRHealth, oversees the implementation of this technology among patients in the clinics: “This week, I met a patient who avoided medical tests due to anxiety,” he shares. “The mere thought of blood tests caused her intense fear, increased heart rate, and a significant rise in blood pressure. Alongside verbal explanations about the importance of the tests, she was offered the opportunity to undergo them with the assistance of virtual reality. Instead of seeing the medical clinic, needles, and blood, she found herself on a beach, walking on soft sand and gazing at the blue waters while listening to soothing music through the VR glasses’ speakers. Within three minutes, she was completely calm, her heart rate dropped, and the blood test was performed comfortably and easily.”
According to Gil, this represents a profound shift in psychology and medicine: “VR glasses can enhance feelings of relaxation and ease. The patient feels as though they are truly in nature, and numerous studies in recent years indicate that natural environments in virtual reality are just as calming as real ones. These glasses don’t just distract – they create an alternative, soothing reality, and in doing so, our psychological and physiological responses change: heart rate decreases, breathing slows, and the body and mind enter a state of relaxation. This is especially true for treatments like blood tests, vaccinations, catheterizations, dental procedures, and pain management.”
VR glasses used for calming patients
Israel’s healthcare system hopes to expand the technology to other areas. Currently, dozens of clinics nationwide are exploring the integration of VR glasses as part of standard care, including in intensive care units, delivery rooms, oncology, and dentistry.
Gil emphasizes that this is a technology with significant potential: “This is a revolution. Virtual reality allows us to intervene in the patient’s consciousness at the most critical moments. Instead of waiting for the patient to cope with their anxiety alone, we take them by the hand into a calm, positive, controlled reality. When this happens, they not only survive the test – they also feel they’ve succeeded, that they can handle challenges, that they’re in control. This sense of capability lingers even after the test, fostering renewed trust in the healthcare system.”