Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice with Virtual Reality

The Hopkins Centre is pleased to announce a newly funded research project, Co-designing a Virtual Reality Implementation Framework, supported through the 2026 Metro South Health Research Support Scheme. Led by Hopkins Centre researcher Ms Soo Oh, the project brings together a multidisciplinary team including Professor Louise Gustafsson, Dr Jessie Mitchell and Dr Michael Norwood to support the practical integration of virtual reality (VR) into rehabilitation services.   

Virtual reality is increasingly being used in healthcare to support rehabilitation, pain management and mental health care. While the evidence for its effectiveness continues to grow, many health services face challenges when translating VR research into routine clinical practice. Common barriers include limited clinician confidence, uncertainty around equipment procurement and governance, and a lack of practical implementation guidance.

Working closely with occupational therapy teams at Princess Alexandra Hospital and Logan Hospital, the research team will use a co-design approach to develop an evidence-informed framework that supports clinician-led implementation of VR in everyday rehabilitation practice. The project will explore clinicians’ experiences, identify barriers and enablers to adoption, and develop practical strategies to support sustainable use of VR technologies across health services.

The project aims to strengthen digital capability within rehabilitation services and improve confidence and consistency in the use of VR-enabled interventions. By providing a structured implementation framework, the research has the potential to support broader uptake of innovative rehabilitation technologies and improve outcomes for people accessing rehabilitation care.

The Hopkins Centre congratulates Ms Soo Oh and the research team on securing this funding and looks forward to sharing updates as the project progresses.