Nicklaus Children’s Hospital: Transforming Pediatric Care with VR
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Episode Summary:

In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Dr. Christina Potter from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to unpack how VR is revolutionizing pediatric care and staff training.

Christina shares how what began as a one-year pilot to reduce pre-surgery anxiety has scaled into a hospital-wide program supporting 8,000 patients in a year. From immersive patient distraction tools to cutting-edge staff training on behavioral emergencies, the hospital is seeing measurable reductions in pain, stress, and clinical incidents.

The episode explores how Christina built a scalable, data-driven VR program from scratch, the importance of co-creating content with hospital staff, and how ArborXR helps them manage headsets across 12 units. Whether it’s reducing parental anxiety or helping neurodiverse patients learn to drive, this is a compelling look at VR for good in healthcare.

Key Moments:

• Problem Solving with VR at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (00:41)
• Early Challenges Launching a VR Program (04:01)
• Current Use Cases Across 12 Units (07:20)
• Day-to-Day VR at the Hospital (11:51)
• Improving Pediatric Patient Experiences (14:44)
• Why VR Works for Pain and Anxiety (17:37)
• Staff Training with VR for Psychiatric Emergencies (24:29)
• Co-Creating Content with Hospital Teams (29:22)
• The Future of XR in Pediatric Healthcare (34:43)

“We supported 8,000 patients with VR last year alone, and ArborXR helps us manage it all. Being able to push content, track usage, and show real-time data makes all the difference when pitching for funding and proving impact.”** – Dr. Christina Potter**

“We’ve seen up to a 60% drop in patient anxiety and pain perception—and a 70% reduction in parental anxiety—just by introducing VR into the pre-op experience.” – Dr. Christina Potter

About Dr. Christina Potter:

Dr. Christina Potter is the Director of Digital Innovation at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. With a background in research and a passion for emerging technology, Christina has led the hospital’s expansion into virtual reality, developing use cases for patients, staff, and caregivers. Under her leadership, Nicklaus has seen over 8,000 VR uses annually, with outcomes including a 60% reduction in preoperative anxiety and groundbreaking staff training programs.

Links & Resources:

• Connect with Dr. Christina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinapotterphd/)
• Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-scoggin/
• Connect with Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willstackable/
• Nicklaus Children's Hospital website: https://www.nicklauschildrens.org/home)