Innovation at Nicklaus Children's Hospital

Our Commitment to Offering Innovative Technologies to Optimize Patient Care

Nicklaus Children’s is dedicated to embracing innovative technologies to enhance clinical care practice and the patient experience. Here are a few of our most recent programs that harness technology to optimize care and create a less stressful experience for the child and family.

500+

3D heart models printed

8 years

pioneering visualization tech in the OR since 2013

teenage patient using the DRIVE console.

DRIVE Program

Driving Improvements Through Virtual Reality Experience

Driving can be an anxiety-inducing event for many people. Neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with autism, tend to experience heightened levels of anxiety when driving, especially when it’s time to take their driving exam. As a result, many capable adults with autism avoid pursuing their driver’s license due to overriding anxiety.

The DRIVE Program – a blend of virtual and hands-on driving experience, helps prepare atypical learners for a successful driving exam.

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VR Staff Training

Enhancing staff proficiency in serving neurodiverse individuals is key in optimizing care for this patient population.

The VR staff training program familiarizes staff with innovative methods and established best practices to advance the team’s abilities in serving children and teens who are neurodiverse, creating a better care experience for all.

Central to the initiative is empowering staff members to readily identify signs that may indicate that a patient is escalating to aggressive behavior and provide strategies and training to help deescalate the situation.

The planned immersive training modules are designed not only to equip staff with the requisite knowledge and skills but also to cultivate a culture of heightened sensitivity and responsiveness to enhance the care experience for the patient, the family and the care team.

Virtual Reality Program

We provide the latest virtual reality (VR) technology to patients across the hospital to provide much-needed distraction in the form of games and relaxation modules.

Studies on the effects of VR in our hospital have found it to be hugely successful at reducing high levels of anxiety and perceived pain, particularly with our neurodiverse patients.

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Immersive Therapies for Patients

At Nicklaus Children’s, our Immersive Therapies program provides patients with a multifaceted array of benefits through projection, lighting, and sound.

These technologies help to manage pain, reduce anxiety, and alleviate stress. They also serve as captivating distractions to facilitate rehabilitation efforts.

BearScout

An online self-service data exploration tool for research, quality, and analytics purposes. It includes clinical, research, and financial data.

Users can slice and dice data based on multiple criteria, such as diagnoses, procedures, medications, and demographics.

BearScout has interactive graphs and charts with the option to export data for further analysis.

Pediatric Virtual Care

Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Virtual Care offers convenient access to non-emergency adult and pediatric care through our state-of-the-art telehealth platform, bringing expert care and peace of mind to families and children wherever they are, whenever they need us.

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Augmented Reality to Support Cardiovascular Surgery

The Advanced Projects Laboratory (APL) at Nicklaus Children's is a world leader in the pioneering use of cutting-edge technology to support the delivery and transformation of healthcare.

The program is one of the first in the U.S. to combine use of holomedicine 3D visualization and advanced 3D printing of operable and dissectible models to support clinicians in planning complex surgeries, optimizing patient outcomes, and advancing medical education.

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patient on hospital bed with game controller

Bedside Gaming

Bedside gaming offers patients a form of entertainment and distraction during their visit. Gaming helps patients by alleviating boredom, reducing anxiety, and enhancing their patient experience. Patients have access to a variety of gaming consoles in various areas of the hospital.

Mobile Gaming: GameWorld

Explore the exciting collection of kid’s games, including Spot the Difference, Four in a Row and other popular puzzles, word searches and challenging crossword puzzles.

This is Game World, where kids can play to win at different levels, find hidden objects and learn new skills.

Take your game to another level, with the AR Dogs app, where you can have a blast using Augmented Reality and play with our therapy dogs. Each dog comes to life, while you get a chance to care for, wash, feed, play and pamper your favorite therapy dog!