Insights drawn from Health 2.0 Conference

As the mother of two teenagers, my attitude toward electronic games can best be described as somewhere between fear and loathing. That changed at Health 2.0.

The client I was there with, CyberDoctor, launched a new electronic game application called PatientPartner. PatientPartner is unique in that it is the first such story-driven game to be tested in IRB-approved clinical trials, in this case with severely non-adherent diabetes patients. The results show significant increases in adherence to medication, to diet and to exercise. And, blood glucose levels significantly improved as well. It stands to reason that if patients take their medication a couple more times a week than they used to, and stick to their diet and their exercise regime several days more a week than they had been doing, that their health status will improve in measurable ways.

The great thing about PatientPartner is that it is disease-agnostic. It’s not just for diabetic patients, but is for any condition and even for people who want to be healthier. By picking a character and going through a series of choices as that character, you learn how you respond in emergencies, how good you are at making strategic healthcare decisions, and what areas you may want to improve. It’s all based on behavioral science research, and it works.

These findings and the importance of adherence are certainly of interest to the healthcare industry, but these findings are also significant to the workers’ compensation industry as well. Patient adherence is a major problem with injured workers. Using something as simple as a 12 minute game to get people to do what the doctor wants them to do is a real breakthrough – it’s easier, less expensive, and more powerful than other methods used so far.

A company I took note of, Physicians Interactive, launched a point-of-care app that allows clinicians to find drug information, research new and conditions, and perform medical calculations. The goal is to help physicians make better decisions by having this information at their fingertips.

Pasquale Fedele, Founder & CEO of Liquid Web, gave an amazing demonstration of the power of thought waves to communicate through a computer, and to even move physical objects. This has a significant implication for the rehabilitation industry. For patients who are “locked in” (physically paralyzed but with cognitive abilities intact) or otherwise disabled, this technology will be revolutionary. “Bones” on Star Trek would be right at home.

Finally, most coincidentally and most powerfully for me was a company introduced by a gentleman from India. I was actually sitting in the audience, thinking about how people in the Western World are working so hard to lose weight and how in developing countries, people are starving, and that there should be some way to balance these needs.  Then, this man stood up and introduced an organization that does exactly that! As people work on diet and exercise, the companies they patronize donate money toward UNICEF to feed the hungry around the world. I’m joining!

Were you at Health 2.0 too? I’d love to hear what you thought of the conference in the comments section below. What was your favorite part?

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