3D Virtual Reality Apprenticeship Program (VRx) For Medication Safety Training
Care Process & Redesign
Technology
Training ＆ Education
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
SingHealth
30 January 2026
The primary aim is to reduce median failure attempts in PPC from 51% to 35% among Pharmacy new hires and trainees in 24. VRx provides a realistic, engaging, and interactive way to train and assess skills in processing prescriptions and medication orders.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 30 January 2026
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Quality Improvement, Workflow Redesign, Technology, Virtual Reality, Digital Health, Simulated Training, Learning Theories ＆ Framework, Learning Approach, Training ＆ Education
About this Content
Aims
The primary aim is to reduce median failure attempts in PPC from 51% to 35% among Pharmacy new hires and trainees in 24 months. The secondary aim is to reduce the time taken for completion of the PPC assessment for all new hires and trainees.
Background
Medication safety is a key concern when processing prescriptions and medication orders. There was a 51% PPC failure rate observed in 2019, leading to increased workload for trainers. The VRx program was developed to train pharmacy staff and trainees in a virtual environment.
Methods
The VRx program uses the Oculus Rift S headset and hand-held controllers. It records learners responses in real-time via a training dashboard. Prototype pilot testing involved two phases, and the final prototype was incorporated in beta-version of VRx with PDSA cycles conducted to refine the program.
Results
The percentage of failure attempts decreased from 51% to 35%. The time taken to complete the PPC assessment was reduced from 13.7 to 8.6 calendar days, an improvement of 34.7%.
Conclusion
VRx provides a realistic, engaging, and interactive way to train and assess skills in processing prescriptions and medication orders. It improves patient safety outcomes and training efficiency.
Lessons Learnt
Trainees who underwent the beta-version of VRx before commencing PPC assessment performed better. The program provides an authentic hands-on learning experience and reinforces knowledge in a safe environment.
Additional Information
The authors thank the SingHealth Learning Technology and Adoption Grant (LTAG) for funding this research.
Keywords
VRx, medication safety, training, pharmacy, virtual reality
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | SingHealth |
Organization(s) Involved | Singapore General Hospital |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Pharmacy |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Pharmacy |
Project Lead(s) | Shakunthala D/O Hans Raj |
Project Member(s) | Irvin Lee Yong Yang |
Connect with this contributor!
Shakunthala D/O Hans Raj - shakunthala.hans.raj@sgh.com.sg
Project Attachment
987_SGH_NHIP_2024_3D_Virtual_Reality_Apprenticeship_Program_VRx_for_Medication_Safety_Training.pdf