Factors impacting the adoption and potential reimbursement of a virtual reality tool for pain management in Switzerland: qualitative case study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Pain and its adequate treatment are an issue in hospitals and emergency departments (ED). A virtual reality (VR) tool to manage pain could act as a valuable complement to common pharmaceutical analgesics. While efficacy could be shown in previous studies, this does not assure clinical adoption in emergency departments. OBJECTIVE The main aim of the study was to investigate which factors affect the adoption and potential reimbursement of a VR tool for pain management in the ED of a Swiss University Hospital. METHODS Key informant interviews were conducted using in-depth semi structured interviews with 11 participants reflecting the perspectives of all the relevant stakeholder groups including physicians, nurses, patients, health technology providers, and health insurance and reimbursement experts. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the extracted data were systematically analyzed using a thematic analysis and narrative synthesis of emergent themes. A consolidated framework for eHealth adoption was used to enable a systematic investigation of the topic and help determine which adoption factors are considered facilitators or barriers or not particularly relevant for the tool subject of the study. RESULTS According to the participants, the three key facilitators are: 1- organizational environment, 2- tension for change, ease of use and demonstrability, 3- employee engagement. And the three key barriers to adoption are: 1- workload, 2- changes in clinical workflow and habit, 3- reimbursement. CONCLUSIONS The study concludes that the adoption of a VR tool for pain management in the ED of the hospital subject of the study, although benefiting from a high tension for change in pain and workload management, is highly dependent on the respective organizational environment, engagement of the clinical staff and reimbursement considerations. While tailored incentive structures and ambassador roles could benefit initial adoption, a change in the reimbursement landscape and further investigation on the positive effects on workflow effectiveness are required to drive long-term adoption. CLINICALTRIAL NA