XRHealth has raised $7 million to expand its telehealth platform which uses virtual reality to offer support groups and medical consultations for people with chronic conditions, including fibromyalgia.
The funding comes at a time when millions of people are isolating themselves due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making digital solutions a safer way for patients to access medical care.
“Telehealth has emerged on the medical scene as a crucial medium of care for patients throughout the world,” Eran Orr, CEO of XRHealth, said in a press release. “We have taken this a step further, by adding support groups and virtual clinics so that anyone can receive the care they need, no matter where they are.”
The Boston-based company creates virtual reality clinics that include live consultations with healthcare providers using a mobile device. An additional tool is the use of virtual reality — a computer-generated 3D environment that enables interaction using special electronic devices — to provide innovative therapies for people with pain, motor, and cognitive conditions.
Patients receive a virtual reality headset to use as part of their therapy, which includes immersive games, exercises, and environments designed to turn routine treatment into an engaging activity. Information from each therapy session is then sent to doctors so the patient’s progress can be tracked in real time.
Another feature is virtual support groups, where patients with similar conditions can connect anonymously and remotely in sessions that are moderated by a physician. In addition to fibromyalgia, other groups are tailored for patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, motor function issues, breast cancer, menopause, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse, stroke rehabilitation, and brain injury, among others.
“Virtual and augmented reality technologies offer a unique platform for patients to be treated since they are immersed in a world that is designed completely to help them heal,” Orr said.
This round of funding raised investments from Bridges Israel, Flint Capital, and 20/20 HealthCare Partners.
“XRHealth platforms’ unique capabilities can change the future of medicine as some of its core characteristics address critical challenges of current practices,” said Gal Hayut, managing partner at Bridges Israel. “We are confident that a wide implementation of its platform will improve therapy accessibility, efficacy and affordability to address a variety of physical and mental conditions.”
XRHealth’s medical applications are registered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in the E.U. They are currently utilized at hospitals in the U.S. and Israel, including Hoag Hospital Network, Stanford Sports Medicine, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, Mass General Hospital’s Sports Medicine Center, and Sheba Medical Center.
The company’s telehealth platform is certified in 17 states and covered by most major health insurance companies in the U.S.
“We are excited to join XRHealth which offers a comprehensive [virtual reality]-based telehealth platform for healthcare providers, allowing them to treat patients both in clinics and at patients’ homes, making therapy continuous and efficient,” said Sergey Gribov, partner at Flint Capital.