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Digital Therapeutics

Digital Interventions & Intelligence Group (DiiG)

DiiG is a collaborative initiative led by Dr. Venkat Bhat (Psychiatry-UHT-St. Michael’s) and Dr. Sri Krishnan (Biomedical Engineering- Toronto Metropolitan University)

DiiG deploys various digital modalities including:  Virtual Reality (VR), wearable devices, and web-based interventions. Our multidisciplinary team is at the intersection of engineering, advanced data analytics and psychiatry, and uses digital platforms to learn about and assess a person’s mental health and well-being. Through this, we aim to create personalized interventions to manage and prevent relapse.

Our platforms are fully  compliant with patient/participant confidentiality standards such as the US HIPPA and corresponding Canadian PHIPA/PIPEDA privacy laws.  

A Visual of the VR Set

Our Wearable Device (Oura Ring)

Our Web-Based Platform

Ongoing Studies

Recruitment for this study has come to an end. Thank you for your interest. We thank those who are participating!

Overview: 

The purpose of this study is to use a Digital Intervention Suite (a combination of Virtual Reality-VR, a web-based platform, and a wearable-Oura Ring) to understand and reduce the experience of stress/distress faced by nursing professionals.

Stress, anxiety, distress, and burnout are exceptionally high among healthcare workers at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding factors underlying distress and resilience in complex workplace contexts are limited, and there are limited evidence-based interventions for stress and moral distress among frontline healthcare workers.

The purpose of this study is to use a Digital Intervention Suite (a combination of Virtual Reality-VR, a web-based platform, and a wearable-Oura Ring) to understand and reduce the experience of stress/distress faced by nursing professionals. This study involves participation in an in-person VR set up and use of an app and a wearable over the duration of the study (14+ weeks). The immersive VR component of the study involves a virtual experience of navigating a challenging workplace scenario to understand stress response and provide an overview of interventions that can be used to reduce workplace stress. Upon completion of the in-person VR visit, participants will continue to use the app and the wearable for the study duration to understand stress response in their actual workplaces. Participants will have real-time access to their essential data on wellness collected through the app and wearable (e.g., sleep, activity, physiological signals, anxiety symptoms). The Digital Intervention Suite (combined use of these three components: VR, app, and wearable) is essential for a thorough understanding of stress and moral distress. This is a de-identified study, and the team will only have access to deidentified data for analysis at the end of the study.

Eligibility: 

  • Registered nurses (RNs) or registered practical nurses (RPNs) who are currently employed at a healthcare institution in Ontario.
  • Ownership of a smartphone.

Time Commitment:

  • You must attend one (1) in-person screening appointment (approx. 1hr) in downtown Toronto
  • You must wear an Oura Ring every day for the duration of the study (14+ weeks) to track physiological changes
  • You must answer online surveys three (3) times per week (Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) for the duration of the study (14+ weeks). These should not take longer than 15 minutes.
  • You must attend one (1) in-person Virtual Reality (VR) session (approx. 1hr) in downtown Toronto
  • You must participate in one (1) online Zoom exit interview at the end of the study

Compensation will be provided for in-person visits. You may receive up to $370 CAD and may be eligible to keep the Oura Ring (valued at $415 CAD) upon full study participation.