How Video Games Bridge the Patient-Provider Communication Gap

The integration of video games into healthcare is emerging as a strategy to bridge the communication gap between patients and medical providers, offering a hands-on approach to learning about health and managing medical decisions.

By allowing individuals to make choices and experience the outcomes of those decisions within a simulated environment, gaming provides a practical method for patients to engage with complex or sensitive health information.

Gamification in Patient Education

One example of this application is the digital game What’s My Method?, which is designed to educate people on various contraceptive methods. The game features characters such as Laila and Caleb, allowing players to help them determine the best birth control method based on their specific lifestyles and physiology.

Developers are testing whether such games can help patients make more informed decisions for themselves and facilitate more fruitful discussions with their healthcare providers.

This approach is particularly useful for sensitive topics that patients may find difficult to discuss openly, including sexuality, reproductive health, and vaccine hesitancy.

Improving Health Outcomes and Adherence

Beyond education, gamification is being explored to address significant challenges in patient compliance. In developed countries, adherence to long-term therapy for chronic illnesses is estimated to be around 50% on average.

In the United States, noncompliance is estimated to cause approximately 125,000 deaths and at least 10% of hospitalizations annually, costing the healthcare system between $100 billion and $289 billion per year.

Integrating gameplay mechanics into treatment plans can increase patient motivation, satisfaction, and knowledge retention. Games can also serve as a source of distraction, which may reduce anxiety and discomfort during medical procedures.

Broad Applications in Healthcare

The use of video games in health extends to both the patient and the provider side. While patients use them for empowerment and adherence, healthcare providers have used video games to enhance physical or cognitive skills, such as training for surgeons.

Several case studies and success stories highlight the real-world impact of healthcare-focused games, including:

• Re-mission
• Pain Squad
• Ayogo’s Empower
• Immune Attack
• Gesture Tek
• Mind Maze
• Game On Cancer
• Child’s Play
• Virus Blaster

Integration into Clinical Settings

There is potential for these tools to be implemented directly into clinical environments, such as doctors’ waiting rooms. Providing digital tablets with health-related games could replace passive activities, like reading old magazines, with active learning experiences.

Game designers are currently working with public health experts, physicians, artists, and programmers to fit gaming into the broader industry and culture of healthcare to improve operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.