Beyond Dr. Mario: Gamifying health care for the tech-savvy generation

Gamification, that is, integrating concepts usually found in games like score-keeping and competition to other activities to engage users, is a growing trend in this wired and smartphone-ready landscape. Among those testing the waters of gamification is the healthcare industry.

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It’s still in relatively early days, admittedly, but there have been many examples of healthcare apps that have shown promise in helping people take better care of their bodies by combining fun with self-monitoring and wellness.

With more doctors advocating disease prevention these days, exercise and step tracking apps, which are more than just high-tech pedometers are becoming popular.

“Gym Pact,” for instance, has users make a “pact” with other users to adhere to specific exercise and nutrition plans. And then there’s with the zombie apocalypse in “Zombies, Run!,” by developer Six to Start, where runners listen to audio adventure where they’re being chased by hordes of the undead. There’s also the “7-minute Superhero Workout,” a motion-tracking workout program built for training the perfect “superhero.”

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Meanwhile, to help patients remember to take their medications and manage their health, there are iOs and Android apps like “Mango Health” and “Asthma Hero.” The former’s rewards include gift cards while the latter is unique in that it’s connected to an inhaler strap that is synced with the patient’s smartphones, so they see their usage.

Video games have also been developed to aid health care. Reflexion Health’s “Vera” for Xbox Kinect tracks patient adherence to their physical therapy exercises while Nintendo’s Wii Sports have also been used by occupational and rehab therapy.

Of course, while gamification can be for everyone, the fun aspect of it is definitely perfect for children. Getting pricked by needles is not fun, so to help young diabetics become more enthusiastic about monitoring their blood sugar, Bayer Diabetes Care released the “Didget” blood glucose meter that connects to the Nintendo DS so kids can receive points, rewards, and play games. Similarly, for young cancer patients, there are HopeLab’s “Re-Mission” games that encourage treatment adherence and positivity through the difficult time.

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The connection between games and wellness has certainly taken strides since the days of “Dr. Mario,” especially since people can now expect real life results from their games and apps when used correctly. Based on the current trend, it is without a doubt that the medical and healthcare industry can only expect more apps that combine fun and health care.

As the administrative director at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Candis Kinkus likes to stay attuned with the latest in healthcare technology in order to provide their patients with the best care. Follow this Facebook page for more updates on healthcare trends .