Dealing with health issues may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but the medical industry is betting on a gaming approach to keep patients engaged and invested in their health.
Integrating elements of gameplay like progress bars, level-ups, missions and challenges, and modular task completion can bring significant advantages for healthcare app users and providers.
Join us as we look at the gaming elements that keep users hooked on their favorite smartphone, console, and casino games and find out how they’re being used in the healthcare industry.
Gamification keeps players glued to their screens
It’s no secret that the gaming industry has taken the world by storm over the past few decades with an estimated 3.1 billion people playing smartphone and console games daily.
Games provide portable entertainment that has people of all ages glued to their screens, and one of the reasons for this is the unique blend of diversion and a mental challenge that they offer.
The elements that make games so irresistible can be hard to define, but what experts do agree on is that the most successful mobile and casino games all contain some – if not all – of the following:
- Levels and challenges
- Progress bars and countdown timers.
- Points, tokens, and rewards.
- An immersive playing experience.
- The opportunity to improve on previous high scores
One of the best examples of gamification can be found in the hugely popular online casino segment which provides more than 100 million players worldwide with riveting entertainment daily.
How online casinos perfected gamification
The online casino industry has experienced explosive growth since its beginnings in the 1990s, bringing the excitement of land-based casino games to a huge new audience.
One of the key reasons why this genre of games has become so popular, despite its traditional roots, can be traced to the intrinsic gamification that is such a strong feature of casino betting.
- Games of chance have existed in human society for thousands of years and since long before anyone can remember, players have been using tokens to place bets.
- The prospect of wagering and winning points or credits is a major factor that motivates casino players and almost every genre of video game has imitated it to varying degrees.
In today’s world, online casinos have gone beyond traditional slots and card games to offer a range of features usually inspired by the world of video games. Modern online casinos feature progressive slots, with jackpots and bonuses that grow over time to keep players fully engaged in the game.
The prospect of an increasing payout along with fascinating elements like graphics and storylines offers an irresistible combination that is winning new fans for online casinos around the world.
Diverse gameplay experiences are the norm on online casino sites, from wild west cowboy scenes to Amazon jungle adventures and stories set in a variety of locations that create a fascinating narrative to elevate slot games to the level of immersive experiences.
The combination of online and land-based casino elements has also become popular lately, with live dealer games giving players the best of both worlds.
The excitement of interacting with dealers from the comfort of their own homes while playing social games like poker has made many players think twice about visiting land-based casinos as they opt for an online experience that’s hard to beat.
Why the healthcare industry is integrating domestication elements
Healthcare apps are embracing the main elements of the gaming experience to help patients improve their overall fitness and state of health, ensure compliance with treatment, and streamline bookings and attendance at appointments.
- Healthcare apps that are designed to monitor a patient’s weight, number of steps walked, or daily diet have embraced tokens and rewards for patients who stick to their recommended daily regimen.
- Level-ups and prizes in the form of free content or even discounts at health food stores, gyms, and other providers are additional ways of encouraging app users to give their health top priority.
Gamification for Improved Medical Care
The principles of gamification that engage players can likewise motivate medical professionals to provide optimal care. By integrating familiar gaming elements into medical practice, doctors and nurses may find greater meaning and fulfillment in pursuing healthcare excellence. Some applications include:
Quests and Missions
Daily goals around patient care, like testing rates or infection reductions, can be framed as important quests for medical teams to accomplish. For example, a daily quest may be to make sure a certain percentage of diabetes patients have their HbA1c tested. Checklists become adventures.
Leveling Up
As clinicians or nurses gain competencies, they can unlock advanced mentor and leadership roles to keep career progression exciting, as self-development and growth translate into new milestones.
Rewards and Achievements
More challenging medical quests or demonstrating exceptional patient care can earn doctors and nurses special badges, rewards, or recognition among their peers, which motivates them to continually improve. These rewards tap into the satisfaction of an accomplishment.
Analytics Dashboards
Data analytics that tracks things like patient satisfaction, infection rates, and survival rates can be displayed on gamified dashboards to make improving these metrics feel like advancing in a game by beating high scores. This deftly transforms real-world medical data into a competitive motivator.
Final Thoughts
Gamification is undoubtedly a powerful strategy that app developers in a range of industries can use to raise their audiences’ motivation and engagement levels and improve overall user experience.
Gaming elements, especially those from the online casino realm, can be harnessed in the healthcare industry to ensure that patients stick to their wellness and treatment schedules. Apps of this type make the process of becoming and remaining healthy both fun and physically rewarding.
Tokens, levels and achievements, progress bars, and other elements from the gaming world are revolutionizing healthcare apps and attracting a new generation of health-conscious users.
This trend is expected to accelerate in the future as AI, augmented reality, and wearable health monitoring devices converge to provide a real-time monitoring solution for all health-related issues.
