The first edition of Games for Health Europe is currently being held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Founded in 2004, the Games for Health project supports community, academic and business development efforts to use games and game technologies to improve health and health care. Building on the successful editions in Boston (MA), Games for Health has now reached Europe.
The main theme of the conference is “How games & simulations can improve health (care) and make it affordable.” Other topics include physical therapy, disease management, health behavior change, biofeedback, rehab, cognitive health and education.
Some of the games discussed today included:
Air Medic Sky One
The winners of the 2011 International Serious Play Awards of the Serious Play Conference in Redmond, Washington, presented their work on Air Medic Sky One (AMS1). This innovative patient safety game uses interactive biofeedback. In the game, players are introduced to biofeedback game controls to navigate the game and basic concepts regarding communication and teamwork in patient safety given by an international team of patient safety experts delivered through mini-games and lectures. Players also manage patients in complex situations that they will inevitably face as junior doctors.
Birthplay
The aim of Birth (acronym for Bringing ICT and Research To Healthcare) is decreasing the number of medical errors during delivery and increasing patient safety. In the Birthplay project, common as well as rare practical situations in deliveries are simulated and practiced. The team consists of obstetricians, midwives and nurses that are trained on proper implementation of all sequential procedures, administration of medication, the use of medical instruments and optimal communication within the team.
Streetgolf
Another striking game of the day, not in a lecture, is streetgolf. This game developed by The Dutch Institute for Sport and Physical Activity is made to stimulate outside exercise. Streetgolf is an iPhone application to play golf in your own neighborhood. While on the street, make a swinging motion with your phone and this app translates it into a stroke with a virtual golf club. The phone registers the degree of acceleration and then hits the ball. Using GPS and motion sensors of the iPhone the player can walk a few holes. You can play this by yourself or in multiplayer mode with your friends.
Conference link: Games for Health…
Dutch Society for Simulation in Healthcare (for our Dutch followers)…