Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Bringing the beauty, colors, and allure of the sea into the hospital, transforming them into an experience of well-being, discovery, and escape during the treatment process. This is the goal of "Immersion in Well-Being – The Tor Paterno Shoals at the Policlinico Umberto I," a project born from the collaboration between the Policlinico Umberto I University Hospital in Rome and the RomaNatura Regional Agency, manager of the Tor Paterno Shoals Marine Protected Area.
The Memorandum of Understanding underlying the initiative was presented today in the General Management Hall of the Policlinico Umberto I, in the presence of General Manager Fabrizio d'Alba and President of RomaNatura Marco Visconti. The project involves the use of up to 10 VR headsets, immersive audio headsets, and 360-degree video content dedicated to the Tor Paterno Shoals, with supervised use and device sanitization after each experience.
The project is aimed in particular at patients of the Oncology Day Hospital and the Pediatrics Department of the Policlinico Umberto I and uses virtual reality to symbolically transfer the sea and the seabed of the Secche di Tor Paterno into the hospital pathways.
"Caring for a person," states Fabrizio d'Alba, General Director of the Policlinico Umberto I University Hospital, "means ensuring clinical quality and safety, but also paying attention to how the patient experiences illness and treatment. With 'Immersion in Wellbeing,' we are introducing an innovative tool that enriches the care relationship: being able to symbolically leave the hospital room and immerse yourself for a few minutes in the beauty of the sea can help reduce tension and make the care journey more sustainable, especially in Oncology and Pediatrics.
The project is part of our commitment to humanizing care, combining clinical and scientific excellence with the quality of the experience for patients and their families. I thank RomaNatura for sharing this initiative with us."
The Marine Protected Area, established in 2000 and managed by RomaNatura, is of particular value: it is the only Italian marine protected area completely submerged and free of coastal features, and serves as a natural laboratory for scientific research, environmental education, and outreach. "With this project," says Marco Visconti, president of the RomaNatura Regional Agency, "we want to bring a moment of relief to those undergoing treatment. The sea has always offered a respite, a breath of fresh air, a space of wonder. Thanks to the visors and real 360° images, patients will be able to take their minds off their worries for a few minutes and fly among the seabed of the Secche di Tor Paterno. Our biologists will accompany them to discover this marine protected area, the only completely submerged area in the Mediterranean. An experience of beauty and knowledge that brings the sea into the hospital. A special thank you to the Policlinico Umberto I for participating in this pilot project, which could also be implemented in other healthcare facilities. Because RomaNatura is always with its citizens, even in moments when a little relief can make a difference."
Using VR headsets and immersive 360-degree content, adults and children will be able to virtually explore one of Lazio's most precious natural environments, observing marine life, underwater landscapes, and the movement of the water, and experiencing guided dives accompanied by the natural sounds of the sea. The goal is to offer patients an experience that promotes relaxation, positive distraction, and emotional well-being, contributing to the humanization of spaces and care pathways. The Protocol also identifies, among the project's objectives, the reduction of stress and anxiety and the testing of an innovative model potentially replicable in other hospital departments.
In the Oncology Day Hospital, the immersive experience will accompany patients during infusions, while waiting for treatment, and during psychological support. In the Pediatrics ward, the headsets can be used during short hospital stays, waiting periods, stressful procedures, and during educational and recreational activities. For children, the virtual experience will also be complemented by environmental education and recreational activities, led by expert staff and an environmental counselor. In this way, the project combines the dimension of well-being with that of knowledge and awareness of marine conservation.
News
webinfo@adnkronos.com (Web Info)