The Chiron Project: ICORP PROGRAM

PROJECT Summary: The Chiron Project: Using Virtual Reality to Prevent Substance Use Disorder in Healthcare Workers Facing Burnout Stress and burnout at the workplace are associated with increases in substance abuse and alcohol consumption, and the healthcare setting has been widely studied as an example of a field with exceptional rates of burnout and workplace stress. Astonishingly, nearly 50% of physicians and 62% of nurses in the US are affected by burnout. Despite the magnitude of this problem, fully 2/3 of physicians report no access to workplace services offering relief from overwhelming stress and burnout in part due to burnout-related stigma. It is indeed worrisome that options to serve those in need are few and the cost of clinicians leaving the healthcare field is estimated at $990K per physician exit and $4.6B per year. To address the worsening epidemic of workplace stress and burnout in healthcare settings, See Yourself Health proposes to develop The Chiron Project workspace platform, an immersive virtual care and collaboration workspace access with mobile devices or VR headsets that enables health professionals group educational programs to master self-compassion, resilience and self-management skills, access confidential peer support, and receive timely evidence-based care to better cope with burnout and avoidance of alcohol and substance use disorders. Phase I Project Goal: We aim to assess the feasibility and usability of The Chiron Project. Specific Aim 1: To build the SYH immersive world platform to address workplace stress and burnout using virtual reality and WebXR gaming technology with telehealth capabilities and tailored educational content in mindful self- compassion. Specific Aim 2: To test the usability of The Chiron Project platform using Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation (RITE) with 30 health professionals. Specific Aim 3: To test the feasibility of using The Chiron Project for health professionals over a 2-week period in a real-life setting. Plan for Phase II: We aim to assess the comparative effectiveness and implementation potential of the Chiron Project platform in a fully powered hybrid clinical trial.