HealthForce Kentucky to Share Its Immersive Health Science Model at NCHSE 2026

zSpace’s AR/VR education platform shows strong user engagement and measurable program impact.

What the company is saying

zSpace, Inc. is highlighting HealthForce Kentucky as a flagship example of its AR/VR learning solutions driving measurable outcomes in health science education. The company frames the program as a direct response to Kentucky’s healthcare workforce emergency, emphasizing its scale, reach, and the operational model that includes a 35,000-square-foot Innovation Center and mobile simulation labs. Executives Shawna Kirkland (HealthForce Kentucky COO) and Brenda Berube (zSpace Director of CTE) are positioned as leaders in deploying immersive technology to underserved regions. The announcement stresses concrete results: over 22,700 participants, 341,000 learner contact hours, and double-digit percentage increases in healthcare program applications and enrollment. The tone is confident and data-driven, with claims of instructional innovation and scalable impact validated by the recent zSpace Program of Distinction award. The company also underscores educator and student feedback, citing a 94% positive response rate in student surveys. The upcoming co-presentation at the National Health Science Conference is used to reinforce the program’s credibility and sector relevance.

What the data suggests

The disclosed figures show HealthForce Kentucky has achieved significant operational scale since late 2023, engaging 22,727 participants across 542 events and delivering more than 341,000 learner contact hours. The program’s reach spans 34 counties and over 40 schools, supported by 80 zSpace AR/VR laptops and a 35,000-square-foot Innovation Center. Partner institutions report a 17% increase in healthcare program applications and a 6% rise in enrollment, suggesting the initiative is influencing student decisions at a material level. Student survey data indicates 94% of participants felt the mobile labs deepened their understanding of healthcare professions, providing evidence of educational impact. The program’s hub-and-spoke model, with mobile outreach and workforce partnerships, demonstrates adaptability and broad access. No financial metrics such as revenue, cost, or profitability are disclosed, so the analysis is limited to operational and educational outcomes. The evidence supports the company’s claims of reach and impact, but the absence of financial data prevents assessment of economic returns or capital efficiency.

Analysis

The announcement is largely factual and supported by specific, realised operational metrics: participant numbers, event counts, learner contact hours, and reported increases in applications and enrollment. The only forward-looking claim is the projection of a nursing shortage by 2030, which is contextual rather than promotional. There is no exaggerated language or overstatement of future benefits; the tone is positive but proportionate to the evidence provided. The capital outlay (Innovation Center) is described as already operational, and the program's impact is measured in current engagement and outcomes, not speculative future gains. No financial or profitability data is disclosed, so the signal cannot be strong_positive, but the operational achievements are credible and immediate. There is no evidence of narrative inflation or hype.

Risk flags

• ●The absence of financial data—such as revenue, costs, or margins—prevents investors from assessing whether the program is economically sustainable or accretive for zSpace. Without these figures, it is unclear how operational success translates to financial performance.
• ●The program’s reported increases in applications and enrollment (17% and 6%, respectively) are attributed to partner institutions, but the causal link to zSpace’s technology is based on survey and institutional reporting rather than controlled studies. This introduces attribution risk if other factors contributed to these gains.
• ●The program’s scalability beyond Kentucky is not addressed. While the current model is effective regionally, there is no disclosure of expansion plans, additional funding, or partnerships that would support broader adoption or revenue growth.

Bottom line

zSpace’s partnership with HealthForce Kentucky demonstrates that its AR/VR education platform can drive high engagement and measurable improvements in student interest and enrollment in healthcare programs. The operational data—over 22,700 participants, 341,000 contact hours, and strong survey feedback—supports claims of educational impact and program reach. However, the lack of any financial disclosure means investors cannot judge whether these operational achievements translate into revenue or profit for zSpace. The announcement is credible regarding realised outcomes but leaves open questions about economic returns and scalability outside Kentucky. For investors, the most important takeaway is that zSpace’s technology is being adopted at scale with positive user feedback, but financial impact remains unquantified. Future disclosures should include revenue, cost, or profitability metrics tied to such deployments to clarify the business case.

Announcement summary

(OTC: ZSPC) zSpace, Inc. announced that HealthForce Kentucky, its 2026 Program of Distinction, will co-present at the 2026 National Health Science Conference (NCHSE) in Birmingham, Alabama. The session, led by Shawna Kirkland, Chief Operating Officer of HealthForce Kentucky, and Brenda Berube, Ed.D., Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) at zSpace, is titled 'VR & AR Transforming Health Science Training and Education' and will take place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 1:00 to 1:45 PM CT. HealthForce Kentucky was formed in 2022 after the state legislature declared an emergency to address the healthcare workforce shortage. Kentucky is projected to be short more than 16,000 registered nurses by 2030, and 54 of its 120 counties are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas. The coalition unites nine colleges and universities, healthcare partners, and P–12 school districts across central and western Kentucky, operating on a hub-and-spoke model with a 35,000-square-foot Innovation Center in Owensboro as the hub and two mobile simulation labs serving rural communities. HealthForce Kentucky deploys 80 headset-free zSpace AR/VR Laptops across its programs, reaching 34 counties and more than 40 schools. The program operates in three pathways: mobile outreach, K-12 pipeline, and workforce development partnerships. Since launching in late 2023, HealthForce Kentucky has engaged 22,727 participants through 542 events and delivered more than 341,000 learner contact hours. Partner institutions have reported a 17% increase in healthcare program applications and a 6% rise in enrollment. In student surveys, 94% said the mobile labs gave them a deeper understanding of healthcare professions. HealthForce Kentucky received the inaugural zSpace Program of Distinction in June 2026 for measurable student impact, instructional innovation, and a scalable vision for hands-on learning. The 2026 National Health Science Conference takes place October 19 to 22 in Birmingham, Alabama, with zSpace presenting at Session 8 in Room East N and exhibiting at Booth 33.

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