West Jefferson Medical Center Offers Latest Virtual Reality Technology for Rehabilitation

Marrero, LA – West Jefferson Medical Center today announced that it now offers the REAL® y-Series, a fully immersive, goal-oriented virtual reality rehabilitation tool designed to motivate and engage patients in new ways — from head to toe — in pursuit of their individual goals. The REAL® y-Series will be used to support a broad range of physical and cognitive needs, and mental well-being for patients undergoing physical or occupational therapy.

Patients in the Greater New Orleans area who are in need of physical therapy will now have a more engaging and innovative rehabilitation option with West Jefferson Medical Center now offering virtual reality through the REAL® y-Series. The REAL® y-Series was secured through generous donations made to the West Jefferson Hospital Foundation. The West Jefferson Hospital Foundation’s mission is to enhance patient care at West Jefferson Medical Center, including funding new technologies and treatments like the REAL® y-Series.

“Disability can cause patients to lose hope and motivation that in turn can limit recovery through conventional rehabilitation therapies,” said Merritt Brown, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, West Jefferson Medical Center. “With the REAL y-Series, patients become motivated through stimulating virtual reality exercises that feel more like a compelling video game they want to play again. Meanwhile, these exercises improve motor function and cognitive skills without the patients feeling like they are busy rehabbing an injury. We are excited to bring this innovative technology to the Greater New Orleans community.”

REAL® y-Series is designed to drive patient engagement, motivation, and compliance with a multi-disciplinary range of exercises and activities. It uses upper and lower body sensors that allow clinicians to track and customize full body movement and progress in real time. Clinicians can customize activities to address motor skills, cognition, core and balance, functional tasks, activities of daily living (ADLs), and wellness to support patient progression, anywhere along the patient’s recovery journey. Rob Calhoun, President and CEO of West Jefferson Medical Center states, “West Jefferson Medical Center continues to be a leader in healthcare innovation by offering the latest addition of the REAL System’s virtual reality-based platform. We are thrilled to see how this device will better the lives of those in our community and help create a future they can look forward to.”

About West Jefferson Medical Center

Founded in 1956, West Jefferson Medical Center (West Jefferson) is a 419-bed community hospital located in Marrero, La. As a full-service medical center, West Jefferson offers comprehensive programs for preventive, emergency, acute and rehabilitative care with a medical staff of more than 450 physicians and a complement of 1,700 employees and many volunteers. The medical center enjoys national awards for clinical excellence across many of its subspecialties.

West Jefferson is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system serving the healthcare needs of the Gulf Coast region. LCMC Health currently manages award-winning community hospitals including Children’s Hospital, Touro, New Orleans East Hospital, University Medical Center New Orleans, East Jefferson General Hospital and West Jefferson Medical Center.

About the REAL System Portfolio

Penumbra’s REAL System is a platform of products that leverages virtual reality to deliver engaging, immersive healthcare designed to promote better health, including furthering functional skills, cognition and stress management. Built on advanced technology with a growing library of VR-based activities and experiences, the REAL System platform is comprised of two product solutions: REAL y-Series for clinical rehabilitation and REAL i-Series for wellness. For more information, please visit www.realsystem.com. For information regarding product safety and risks, please visit www.realsystem.com/usermanual.

About Penumbra

Penumbra, Inc., headquartered in Alameda, California, is a global healthcare company focused on innovative therapies. Penumbra designs, develops, manufactures and markets novel products and has a broad portfolio that addresses challenging medical conditions in markets with significant unmet need. Penumbra supports healthcare providers, hospitals and clinics in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.penumbrainc.com and connect on Twitter and LinkedIn.