Two of my passions are games and health care. I’ve always perceived both being mutually exclusive until a few years ago. It dawned on me like a retarded epiphany that these things are not mutually exclusive and should be together. I started whining at work about how we should investigate the potential of using games in the clinical environment. The ranges of use are wide however, the idea was never fully appreciated and I still spout off on occasion that we should do something. Unfortunately a lot of work in my group is more reactionary than visionary and as such developing new business products is not high on our radar.
Recently I’ve been involved in more forward looking types of projects which has enabled me to meet new people and my constant whining to fellow architects is starting to pay off. And so I think we may just be able to take the stodgy healthcare company I work for out of the sixties and embrace new healthcare delivery ideas. It will be a long roe to hoe but I think ultimately it will pay off for the company and my children.
Part of the reason I decided to blog is because I was listening in on a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant review for developing new technologies for engaging patient populations for self-directed care. One of the questions raised was if they (RWJF) would accept proposals for health games. They answered yes but also directed folks to check out another RWJF that is funding a similar initiative. I did and this video as well as the website is very exciting (at least for me).
Here is the You Tube video introducing Games on Health.