Wellstar Health System is shaping the future of leadership training and development through an initial training program with Moth+Flame, an award-winning virtual reality (VR) provider and technology studio.

On May 18-19, 2022, Catalyst by Wellstar, the health system's global digital health and innovation center, along with Wellstar Leadership Development and Moth+Flame hosted the health system's first-ever VR-based leadership development training, focused on emotional intelligence. Across the two days, more than 100 Wellstar leaders participated in an immersive, VR-powered learning experience to prepare them to lead their teams through ongoing change in the healthcare industry. 

"Partnering with Moth+Flame is an opportunity for us to gain a deeper understanding of how virtual reality can impact the way we care for and engage with our patients, consumers and each other," said Hank Capps, M.D., FAAFP, Wellstar's executive vice president and chief information and digital officer. "Our team members are essential in creating curated healthcare experiences, and we hope this initial training will showcase how VR technology can help our team be even more effective, compassionate and culturally competent leaders."

Studies show virtual reality learners learn four times faster than traditional methods and are 275 percent more confident to act on their training. This initial training aims to validate these numbers with a select group of Wellstar's clinical and leadership teams to elevate the organization's leadership development programming. At the end of the two-day training, Wellstar measured an increase in levels of confidence in the material learned and 97 percent of participants reported they would recommend this training.

"We've seen that investment in high quality training can improve retention across all industries," said Kevin Cornish, Founder and CEO of Moth+Flame. "By training in a simulated life-like environment, our product offers employees immersive training that helps them feel more confident. The metrics in Wellstar's launch show a continued trend that virtual reality is proving to be one of the most effective tools for professional development."