The nature of health care services is on the verge of irreversible change! Technology is changing the doctor-patient relationship in every aspect from records management to symptom assessment to the delivery of preventive and corrective procedures.

Patient mismanagement of prescribed care is well documented and a major source of extended ill-health and increased care costs. Utilizing games for health changes the patient care model by involving the patient in their own health care with fun, monitored and managed, technology-enabled preventive and corrective interventions. Health games have proven effective in obesity and hypertension, smoking and drug cessation programs, diabetes monitoring and management, and a host of major and costly health issues. Commonly used applications include mobile phone-delivered games that track daily exercise and âergamesâat require physical exertion in order to play (e.g., on platforms such as thee Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation Move, and Xbox Kinect). Games are also increasingly used to train healthcare professionals in methods for diagnosis, medical procedures, patient monitoring, as well as for responding to epidemics and natural disasters.

Bill Ferguson, PHD will speak on health games as a significant development in the cost, availability, and effectiveness of this rapidly emerging tool for health care. The discussion will describe clinical research being performed at leading hospitals and universities; advancements in technology that enable anyone, anywhere to receive preventive and corrective health care; and cite specific examples of health game applications and their amazing results. He will also address the emergence of the new, ground-breaking journal Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications that was borne out of this important new central forum for leaders, innovators, and decision makers who purchase, use, prescribe, recommend, design, publish, fund, or invest in digital games for health.

In the health arena, there is a high standard for scientific research evidence that makers of serious games should strive to attain. How can you put yourself in the best possible position to make an effective game that speaks to the consumers and gatekeepers of your game in healthcare? How can research help us make sure that this explosion in games for health is not a bubble but the beginning of a revolution? Come learn how we can build a healthy and productive future for serious games for health!