Pre-op Assistant
Immersive Patient Education — Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
An immersive VR experience preparing NHS patients for surgery to reduce last-minute cancellations.
In just four months, Hull University Teaching Hospitals cancelled over 1,300 operations because patients weren’t adequately prepared. The existing prep materials were text-based leaflets — and 61% of England’s working-age population find health information difficult to understand. The problem wasn’t patient motivation. It was accessibility.
Cognitant was brought in to co-create a better solution with patients and clinicians. The result was Pre-op Assistant: an immersive experience that walks patients through surgery preparation step by step — from medication adjustments to fasting protocols — in a series of virtual environments they can explore at their own pace.
I worked with subject matter experts, patient advocacy groups and medical writers to translate the clinical information into an engaging spatial experience. I storyboarded the entire journey, designed the environments and interactions, and directed 3D artists, animators and developers through production. The experience is also available as a 360° interactive on Cognitant’s Healthinote platform for patients who can’t access VR in the hospital.
The goal: fewer cancelled operations, shorter waiting times, and patients who actually feel ready for surgery.
