This is an idea that advocates the use of placebo experiences to continuously work towards making the patient believe that he or she is healthy or at least getting better.
The power of thought is highly underestimated. If we truly believe we can manifest miracles, in fact the mind is a healing tool by itself. Ever heard the saying "mind over matter?". Sticking to a thought in the mind creates a feeling (sensation) in the body. If you start thinking about that co-worker that really annoyed you what happens after a few seconds of thinking is that your body is working itself up to take on that conflict with that individual. Make the head believe hard enough and the body will follows. In medicine this practice can also be used and normally prompted as placebo, where then head believes it is taking medicine to get the body healthier, and despite the medicine being sugar pills it converts the perceived effects into actual healing. Imagine if the hospital prompted such an effect towards its patients?
There are several ways to impact the human mind towards placebo and calmness. In periods of great distress and worry, such as being in the hospital the very last thing we need is to be left alone. The problem is that most hospitals are challenged on staffing personnel - which is the essential part of healthcare.
However, in the digital world we can bend realities and open up a world full of potential without leaving the hospital bed, and more importantly, empower a sick body and mind. In this world one hospital staff member would be able to be in the presence of several patients and create social spaces where everyone can engage with one another.
Using neuroscience and virtual reality open up for a new dimension of care - personalized care in the digital realm. Installing virtual reality kits in patient rooms and having a designated digital nurse (a person placed in a control center monitoring and even joining the different experiences) can bring sterile hospital experiences to a world of color and enhanced healthcare effects.
Should the patient be lonely and require stimuli, arrange for a guided tour through the streets of Florence with other patients. On this note fill the room up with Vivaldi and monitor the patients neuro activity to see if alpha waves are being produced, signifying that they are in a sate of activity and excitement.
Should a patient need to be in a relaxed state, arrange for a trip to the beach with soothing sounds of the waves rolling on the beach. Perhaps the patient can be nudged to breathe in controlled cycles. At this point the neural activity should gradually move to beta/theta indicating the patient is moving towards a relaxed and meditative state.
These realities are not science fiction, but science fact. There is a reason virtual reality goes by the name "empathy machine" as we might understand that it is not real, but our brain doesn't. As a example of initiatives already in use is here an experiment with virtual reality against dementia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ywcoqR4Co
