Whether it’s for treatment, prevention or even provider education, healthcare is becoming more and more interactive

By Jessica Zigmond
Modern Healthcare

CHICAGO (Aug. 28, 2008) -- Improving 21st century healthcare is, unquestionably, an expensive, complex and vital endeavor for the U.S. But can it also be fun?

Researchers, hospitals and insurers think so, which is why they’re investing time and money to develop interactive games that could change behavior—and perhaps help cut costs—in healthcare. ...

... While researchers are developing games and gathering research, Banner Health has already started using health games as a rehabilitation tool at its Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute in Phoenix. Rehabilitation services for patients have not changed much in 30 years and tend to be boring, says Mark Smith, system director of simulation and innovation at Banner. In addition, there is generally an 80% drop-off rate in exercise after patients are discharged to the outpatient setting.

“Gamers are very shrewd,” Smith says. “They know how to build games that engage your attention. Instead of sitting by yourself, you can play bowling or golf with your daughter or husband.”

Smith says Nintendo’s Wii game console—which sells for about $300—is “revolutionary” because it makes people get up and move, and also because it has created new opportunities in science, such as training clinicians. Smith oversees Banner’s Simulation Education and Training Center, which chose the Wii to train surgeons about two years ago.

“The purpose is to train clinicians of any kind,” Smith says, adding that games can help train practitioners to insert an IV tube or intubate a patient. “We’ve trained them on mannequins, but this trains teams like in an operating room.”

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