virtual worlds in healthcare

Virtual Worlds and Games - serious business benefits?

Claus Nehmzow, Alcus International Ltd. / Serious Games Institute

The 10th Asia Pacific Knowledge Management Conference“Managing Knowledge for Sustainable Growth - Searching for

Business Models for the Future”4 December 2008, Hong Kong Science Park

1Sunday, 7 December 2008

© Alcus International Ltd. 2008

Can we use 3D virtual worlds and games to achieve business benefits?

What are the unique characteristics of virtual worlds?

How can they be applied to business?

What are real examples of applications?

What can we learn from health care case studies?



A virtual world has unique characteristics




Paper Email Web Blog IM/Chat

Virtual World

Phone Face to Face

asynchronous real time





Virtual World

Phone Face to Face


Web Phone Email Blog IM/Chat

Virtual World

Webcast Face to Face

isolated shared





Virtual World

Phone Face to Face



Virtual World


isolated shared

IM/Chat Blog Webcast Email

Virtual World

Phone Face to Face

anonymous identified





Virtual World

Phone Face to Face



Virtual World


isolated shared

IM/Chat Blog Webcast Email

Virtual World

Phone Face to Face

anonymous identified

Phone Email IM/Chat Webcast

Virtual World

Web Face to Face

simple media rich multi-media

Blogs


There is a wide range of business applications of virtual environments

• High volume, low margin product marketing

• Very personal information

• Too simple, time critical

• Use in isolation

• Do something just because you can

DON’T








DON’T• Benefitting from dialogue

and explanation

• Enriched by human interaction

• Characterized by simulation, role-play

• Integrate, “user-centric” across channels

• Do something because you can when it adds value

• Use anonymity

DO








DON’T• Benefitting from dialogue

and explanation

• Enriched by human interaction

• Characterized by simulation, role-play

• Integrate, “user-centric” across channels

• Do something because you can when it adds value

• Use anonymity

DO Examples• Seminars,

conferences

• Training

• Recruiting, onboarding

• HR, counseling

• B2B marketing

• Healthcare


Imperial College London: Visualization and Training



47 Delegates8 Professors, 5 countries

Surgeons have held conferences in Second LifeLeong et al. BMJ.2008; 337: a683

Source: Imperial College London: Department of Biosurgery and Surgical Technology

International Virtual Association of Surgeons holds regular conferences



From real simulated patient in a real simulated operating theatre...




to virtual patients in a virtual operating theatre, improving effectiveness at lower cost



Cigna: Virtual Health Seminars



Healthcare cost continues to rise

US spend

$2.3 trillion

16% to 18% of GDP

UK Spend in 2006

£120 billion

7% to 9.4% of GDP

Aging population: Greater proportion utilising healthcare resources with fewer contributing to the costs

Sources: Office of Health Economics CompendiumOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD Health Data 2006



The Old Way of Thinking - Heal the sick

Other 85%

76%

15%

24%

Costsof ill health

Individuals

Sick

Source: Mercer HR Consulting. March 2005

Other

Sick

Individuals

59%

Healthcare Cost “Churn”



The New Way of Thinking - prevent the healthy from getting sick

85%

15%Sick

Other

Individual

• Pre-emptive health care• Prevent long-term chronic diseases• Examples: weight management, smoking

cessation, stress/sleep management



Behaviour: the biggest health determinant

Access to Genetics Environment Behaviour

10%

20% 20%

50%

Sources: FTF, Center for Disease Control and Prevention



Consistent branding starts on the web• Custom brand experience starts with

branded registration website

• Registration easy and simple

• Consistent branding, visual language,

graphic design

• Circular, extensible design



and extends to social community, interactivity, and games


What questions do you have?


virtual worlds in healthcare

Health & Medicine