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VR Therapy Products Buyer's Guide

Use this guide to select VR therapy software products that meet the needs of your specific practice. If you are new to VR therapy, plan to start with one product that meets your most important client needs (as explained below). Depending on the range of diagnoses in your caseload, you may add additional VR therapy products or supporting content (see the VR Therapy Supporting Content Buyer's Guide) as you gain more experience using VR.

Recommended steps include:

  • Clarify what you need for your practice in terms of VR content, software features, and other factors by answering the questions in the VR Therapy Needs Analysis below.

  • Look for products that meet your needs in the SVRT VR Therapy Products directory.

  • Search for products to treat your most important conditions or indications using the “Search by Condition/Indication” function. You can also try searching the Web for "virtual reality therapy software" and the name of each condition.

  • Search for products that support your desired skills training or psychoeducation topics using the “Search by Instruction/Education Topics” function.

  • Search for products that provide the reward/relaxation content you would like to offer by using the “Search by Reward/Relaxation Topics” function.

  • If you have a VR headset that you would like to reuse, you can use the “Search by VR Headset Types” function to identify compatible therapy products. You can also try searching the app store associated with your headset type or the Internet as explained in VR Therapy Supporting Content Buyer's Guide.

  • For the VR therapy products that best meet your needs, collect answers to the VR Therapy Product Questions and Vendor Questions below. If you have identified more than one product or option that could meet your needs, create answers for each product/option.

  • If you need a cost analysis, complete one for each product or option following the instructions in VR Therapy Cost Analysis Guide.


Therapists might also consider seeking training on how to use VR as part of therapy or vendor training on how to use specific VR therapy products. See VR Therapist Training Resources for general and vendor-specific courses.

Some VR therapy products include content for treating one or more conditions, including materials for instruction, exposure therapy, and relaxation/reward. Other vendors offer separate products for each purpose such as, instruction, exposure, or reward/relaxation. The SVRT buyer's guides will help you find what you need. 

Some VR therapy products are sold as bundles combining software and hardware. Vendors may give you the option of using your own hardware or purchasing equipment from them. Other vendors specify what hardware is required for using their product but do not sell equipment. 

VR Therapy Needs Analysis

Answer these questions to clarify your requirements for VR therapy product(s). Questions are grouped by topic and match VR Therapy Product Questions below.

Conditions/Issues Treated

  • Which conditions or diagnoses would you like to be able to treat using VR? List specific conditions, including individual fears or phobias (driving, flying, heights, etc.).

  • If you plan to use VR to attract additional clients for your therapy practice, what conditions/diagnoses will you emphasize?

 

VR Therapy Contents

  • Which skills training or psychoeducation topics would you like to teach using VR instructional material?

  • What virtual environments for exposure therapy are the most important for your caseload?

  • Would you like the ability to use Augmented Reality (AR) for exposure therapy? If so, what images or phobic creatures would you like (spiders, bugs, dogs, etc.) to have available?

  • What types of VR relaxation/reward environments would you like to offer your clients?

 

Product Features

  • How old are your typical clients? Do you need VR content appropriate for children, teens, adults, or seniors?

  • Which languages do your clients speak and what are their cultural backgrounds? What language and culture options would you like to have in VR content?

  • Do you need a product with accessibility features for clients with vision or hearing issues? Provide specifics.

  • Is the availability of diverse VR content important for your clients and practice? Do you need VR content with avatars that can represent clients with certain ethnicities, skin colors, ages, sexual orientations, etc.?

  • Is biofeedback support as part of the VR therapy product important to you? If so, what biofeedback measures are you interested in and what functions would you like to have?

  • Would you like a VR therapy product that supports any 'other features' and if so, which features? For example, support for EMDR therapy.


Hardware/Usage

  • Usage: are you looking to use VR therapy with clients in-office, for teletherapy, or for client homework?

  • Equipment compatibility: do you have a VR headset or other equipment you hope to reuse for providing VR therapy? Get the make and model of any current VR equipment to check for compatibility with VR therapy products you are considering.

  • Internet/Wi-Fi access: can a VR headset connect to the Internet using Wi-Fi in your office? If you can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi using your phone, a headset should be able to connect.

  • Therapist workstation: do you have a personal computer or tablet with that you would like to use as a therapist workstation? Can you freely access the Internet using this device (access is not blocked or restricted to certain websites)?

  • Usage: for in-office therapy, where will the client sit or stand while experiencing virtual reality? Is there enough space for a client to move around safely?

  • Usage: where can VR therapy equipment be stored securely when it is not being used? Can equipment be stored and charged simultaneously?

 

VR Therapy Product Questions

Use these questions to help evaluate how well each VR therapy product you are considering meets your needs (as defined by the answers to the needs analysis questions above).

Conditions/Issues Treated

  • Does this VR therapy product address some or all the conditions/issues you would like to be able to treat using VR therapy?

VR Therapy Contents

  • Does this product include VR skills training and psychoeducational instructional materials that meets the needs of your practice?

  • Do the virtual environments for exposure therapy included in this product meet the need of your practice and the conditions you treat?

  • If you are interested in augmented reality, does this product support augmented reality for exposure therapy? Do the available AR images or phobic creatures match what you need based on the types of fears you treat?

  • Do the included VR reward/relaxation environments meet the needs of your practice?


Product Features

  • Does this product include age-appropriate content that meets the needs of your clients?

  • Do the supported language and culture options meet the needs of your clients?

  • If you need a product with accessibility features for vision or hearing issues, does this product meet the needs of your clients?

  • If diverse VR content is important for your practice, does this product meet the needs of your clients?

  • If biofeedback support is important to you, does the biofeedback functionality provided by this product meet your needs?

  • If you are interested in 'other features' such as EMDR support, does this product include the specific features you are looking for?

  • Does this product offer other content, features, or functions that go beyond what you had identified as your needs? Do these additional offerings provide value for your practice?


Hardware/Usage

  • Usage: does this this product support the usages you need? In-office usage? Teletherapy? Client homework?

  • Equipment compatibility: if you currently have a VR headset or other hardware, is your equipment compatible with this product?

  • Pricing: initial cost, monthly or other periodic charges, usage-based pricing?


Vendor Questions

Ask the vendor to answer these questions for each VR therapy product you are considering. 

Financial

  • VR therapy product licensing: on what basis is this product licensed or sold? Per VR headset, per therapist/user, per clinic or organization, or some other basis (explain)?

  • Package options for hardware, software, and service: What is included with this product? Are there optional add-ons such as peripheral devices?

  • VR therapy system useful life: for cost analysis, is it reasonable to assume that this VR therapy system (software and hardware) will have a useful life of at least 5 years (60 months) before the hardware wears out, software updates or upgrades stop, or product support is discontinued? If not, please provide an alternate lifetime estimate.

  • VR therapy product costs: what are the costs for using this product over the expected useful life including initial charges or purchase price, recurring charges for usage, software, service or support, any charges per client or usage, etc.

  • Ordering and payment: how can this product be ordered and what payment methods do you accept?

  • Cancellation/return policy: should we decide to stop using this product before the end of the contract period, what are your early termination policies?


Hardware/Usage

  • If the package includes a VR headset, can this headset be used with VR therapy products from other vendors? With consumer VR apps?

  • If the package includes a VR headset, can this product also be used with additional VR headsets that are not provided as part of the vendor package?

  • If the package does not include a VR headset, what VR headset equipment is recommended for in-office use (VR headset, controllers, accessories, etc.)?

  • If the product can be used during teletherapy, what are the recommended VR headset equipment options for client use?

  • Internet/Wi-Fi access: does the VR headset used with this product require Internet access via Wi-Fi (at the therapist's location/ office)?

  • Therapist workstation: is a therapist workstation provided as part of this package?

  • Therapist workstation: if a therapist workstation is not provided, what are the requirements for a therapist workstation to be used with this product?

  • Therapist workstation: is Internet access required for the therapist workstation? Any other networking or communication requirements, such as support for Bluetooth wireless?

  • Therapist workstation: can the therapist workstation be used for other functions during VR?

  • Usage: for in-office therapy, how much space will be needed for VR equipment including controllers, vibrating platforms, etc. If clients can move around while using VR in the office, how large an area is recommended?

  • Usage: how much space will be needed to securely store VR equipment while it is not being used?

  • Usage: how long will battery powered equipment operate on a charge? Will equipment need to be recharged between clients?

  • Usage: How many power outlets are required for using or charging this equipment? Any special power requirements?


Support/Training

  • Customer support: how can a therapist get help using this product or resolving issues?

  • Therapist documentation: what therapist instructions, guides, videos, etc. are provided?

  • Teletherapy client documentation: if the product supports teletherapy, what instructions, guides, or video are provided for clients to help them setup and use their VR software and hardware?

  • Therapist training: What therapist training is available? Are there any costs associated with this training?

 Other Considerations 

  • Patient privacy protection: are client names or other protected health information (PHI) stored within the VR therapy product? If so, does the product comply with applicable data privacy regulations for the location of the therapist or clients? For example, one relevant US regulation is HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996).

  • Product changes: how are therapists informed about any updates or changes to the software or user interface? Is this information provided before the changes take effect?

  • Software updates: how are software changes distributed? Does the therapist or client (for teletherapy) have to take any action to install software updates? Can a therapist avoid having updates installed during a client session?

  • Major version changes: what is your upgrade procedure/policy when moving to 'next generation' hardware or software versions? Are there any costs that can be anticipated but are not included in the costs given above?

  • Research support: what peer-reviewed research publications document the clinical effectiveness of your products?

  • Reference customers: can you provide the contact information for other therapists who are using your products in a similar practice?