Stress before surgery often goes unseen. But its impact? Anything but invisible.
Nearly half of preoperative patients feel significant anxiety ahead of major procedures, according to researchers. That worry doesn’t just stay in the mind. It travels through the body, raising blood pressure, increasing the need for anesthesia, slowing down recovery, and sometimes leading to serious complications.
For hospitals and VA systems, this means one thing: Mental prep is no longer optional.
Helping patients feel calm before surgery isn’t just about comfort. It’s about better outcomes, shorter stays, and safer recoveries. That’s why more clinical teams are searching for new ways for patients to self-manage pre-op anxiety, giving them the mental wellness tools they need before the scalpel ever touches skin.
New findings from Mayo Clinic researchers and cardiac surgeons reveal that Healium isn’t just a promising concept. It’s working right now, in real operating environments. In a recent study, patients facing their first open-heart surgery used experiences powered by Healium before heading into the OR.
Patients reported lower anxiety levels before surgery.
VR was well tolerated, even by older patients who often get overlooked in tech-driven interventions.
Dr. Jordan Miller, a cardiovascular researcher at Mayo Clinic, summed it up simply:
“This is an exciting step forward in optimizing patients for surgery.”
This wasn’t tested on hypothetical models or healthy volunteers. It happened in the same high-stakes surgical settings that hospitals and VA systems navigate every day. Healium’s immersive, biofeedback-driven experiences are a practical, research-backed way to help patients walk into surgery calmer, and walk out on a smoother path to recovery.
Healium stands apart by blending science, immersive storytelling, and neurofeedback into one seamless tool to relax and self-manage preoperative stress.
Inside a hospital, every beep, bright light, and sterilized surface can ramp up a patient’s anxiety. Healium creates calming, nature-based environments that pull attention away from the surgical setting.
This shift isn’t just psychological, it’s deeply physiological, according to research in multiple peer-reviewed journals.
Healium combines breathwork, guided visualizations, and real-time biofeedback to help the user learn to self- regulate their nervous system. By lowering heart rate variability and promoting parasympathetic activity, patients can reach a state of relaxation in minutes without pharmaceuticals.
Hospitals are already using Healium with patients preparing for surgery. It’s designed to integrate smoothly with existing clinical workflows, helping patients feel centered and secure before they enter the operating room.
Healium pairs with devices like Apple Watch and EEG headbands, turning biometric data into visual feedback. Patients see their internal state change, reinforcing calm in a way traditional pre-op protocols can’t.
Healium is simple to deploy. No prescriptions, no extra staffing, no risk of sensory overload. Content is carefully crafted to be PTSD-aware, making it especially valuable in VA hospitals and trauma-focused surgical centers. For teams managing tight schedules and anxious patients, Healium becomes an easy win: a drug-free, tech-enabled moment of calm right when it matters most.
Helping patients feel at ease before surgery isn’t just a comfort measure; it's a vital part of the process. Reducing pre-op stress can mean fewer complications, faster recoveries, and less reliance on post-op medications.
Hospitals and VA systems are already rethinking what it means to prepare patients for surgery. Mental readiness is becoming just as important as physical prep. By giving patients effective ways to self-manage anxiety, teams can focus on stronger outcomes.
Healium is a low-lift option for staff, requiring no prescriptions, and provides patients with a clear, drug-free path to calm when it matters most.