Telehealth Module
TACTICS VR – Stroke Telehealth has been developed as a partnership between the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) and the Centre for Advanced Training Systems (University of Newcastle) in collaboration with the Hunter New England Stroke Research Group and NSW Telestroke Service.
The module was initiated to address a recognised unmet need for educational training tools to upskill clinicians in stroke telestroke workflow, particularly in rural, regional and remote settings. Users of the first TACTICS VR module also highlighted the need for an expansion module focussed specifically on telehealth. The project is part of the larger, state-wide NSW Telestroke Service project introducing and implementing telehealth practices in hospitals throughout NSW.
The TACTICS VR – Stroke Telehealth module has been developed through extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders and experts in the field, to ensure all training is evidence-based and relevant. In virtual reality, users are guided through a real-world stroke patient case with specific emphasis on telestroke communication and consultation processes. Users are provided with real-time feedback on critical decision-making. Further, anonymous training data is automatically collected to provide insight into VR usage and inform training implementation.
In TACTICS VR – Stroke Telehealth, users walkthrough a real stroke case with an emphasis on telehealth interactions. Content is organised across the following scenes:
- Opening
- Introduction & Instructions
- Initial Patient Assessment
- Telehealth Consult #1: Initial Assessment
- Radiology Imaging
- Telehealth Consult #2: Radiology
- Telehealth Consult #3: Consent & Treatment
- User Feedback
TACTICS VR has been developed and implemented into NSW hospitals starting from April 2021.