Dr Evelyn Chan, pediatric physician, Rhodes Scholar, CEO and cofounder of Smileyscope, is changing ... [+]
Love it or hate it, virtual reality (VR) is here to stay. Gradually, the concept and practice of VR are infiltrating everyday lives. Mainly VR has been associated with the gaming industry and has recently gained popularity with the metaverse. The industry market size is $7.72 billion, and the global VR market is projected to reach $26.9 billion by 2027. As VR technology evolves, brands are discovering how to integrate the system into their company’s business practices to create engagement and culture. From the fashion industry to sports to healthcare, brands are utilizing VR systems.
Dr. Evelyn Chan, founder and CEO of Smileyscope, has developed VR software that provides patients with a tool during doctor visits to minimize stress, fear and anxiety. As a doctor, she discovered that 75% of kids, 50% of adolescents and 25% of adults fear needles, preventing them from seeking medical care. Smileyscope helps to redefine this fear through positivity with evidence-based, antimicrobial, medical-grade VR. Children and adults can choose from over 20 VR experiences or a relaxation music library. The company has partnered with over 40 U.S. hospitals, such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Orange County, to implement the VR technology. Chan has raised $1 million in funding and is now raising capital for the seed prime round.
“Essentially, VR occupies more of the brain and the processing of the brain, that you actually have less ability to process the pain and anxiety,” Chan explains. “That’s one of the exciting things; it captured so much of the attention. So we can use that to our advantage to make that a really positive experience.”
Chan witnessed healthcare experiences firsthand growing up in her dad’s pharmacy. As a result, she knew from an early age that she wanted to work in the industry, specifically in pediatrics. However, working with children, she encountered their fear of needles. After a few years, she went on to study public health and medical anthropology as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Innovation was lacking in the industry, and she was focused on finding that missing piece. She ultimately pivoted to the consulting side of the industry, leaving her practice.
“When I started, I didn’t even know what procurement was,” Chan laughs. “There was a lot of learning to do, a huge learning curve, but I absolutely loved it, and over time, became just fascinated with business; how it could have a profound impact on entire industries, like healthcare, and really learn how my skill sets are quite portable.”
Smileyscope turns fear into fun for pediatric patients and their families through VR technology.
At one point, one of Chan’s clients was working on a VR project. She became fascinated by how a person could become immersed in the technology and how it could make a person recall things much more powerfully. So she began ideating how VR could be implemented into the healthcare industry to change how patients respond to procedures through different simulations.
To start, she focused on addressing procedural pain in pediatrics. Now, they’ve witnessed organic growth into the reproductive side of health; offices are using the technology for post-traumatic stress disorder with pregnancy and women who lost their babies. Gradually, the company is expanding into adult health.
“They put on a medical-grade VR headset,” Chan breaks down the process. “We had to design that from scratch; there was nothing off the shelf built for healthcare. It was all built for gamers. It’s lightweight, it’s easy to use, and fits under all the medical equipment. Then they’re transported to this underwater adventure. When we worked with about 100 kids, that’s where they wanted to go when they had that needle. So we went with the underwater theme. They get briefed by Puggles, a penguin, who says, ‘You’re going on this underwater adventure. Three. Two. One.’ They jump in the water. Then waves wash over their arms. And that’s when the proceduralist is cleaning with antiseptic, and fish come in and nibble; they get to choose the fish that come in. The fish nibble when we’re putting in the needle. So it’s something that reframes their brain to think about the sensation of the needle quite differently.”
Initially, the company and product launched in Australia. The technology is in 100% of Australian children’s hospitals. After the launch, Smilelyscope gained traction in the States, including Rush Medical Center. Chan and her team are now working on developing technology to eliminate the need for sedation or painkillers during procedures such as MRIs.
Dr Evelyn Chan presenting Smileyscope to 1,000 guests at the Melbourne Entrepreneur’s Gala.
As Chan scales Smileyscope and continues to pivot in her career, she focuses on the following essential steps:
- Assess the situation. Look at the opportunity and risks involved with your particular career pivot.
- Develop your differential diagnosis—what are the pros and cons?
- Continuously manage and monitor what you’re doing; continuously course correct as you move along.
“I’ve become increasingly more confident,” Chan concludes. “Thinking back to when I pivoted to consulting, I was really doubtful that I had the leadership qualities outside medicine. I was really excited to be able to expand my confidence and my frameworks and ways of thinking and approaching things.”
