Gamification in Digital Health: Company Files IPO Prospectus Highlighting Game-Based Solutions for Healthcare Engagement

Playing video games is an experience that most people have had while growing up, but can games also be used in healthcare? Yes, you heard it right. VCBeat has previously published articles introducing the extensive application of game elements in medical health (Click here for details), and there is a specific term for this: “Gamification”.

What is Gamification?

“Gamification” is generally translated as “gamification.” In fact, this is not a term exclusive to internet healthcare. The concept of “gamification” is widely applied across many fields, including education and entertainment.

Although the term “Gamification” was coined as early as 2002 by British computer scientist Nick Pelling, it remained little known until 2010. Even before the term came into use, incorporating video game elements into other fields was already common practice.

The term “Gamification” truly began to spread on a large scale in 2010, specifically referring to the incorporation of game-like social and reward elements into software applications. This also greatly attracted the interest of venture capitalists.

Overall, gamification primarily refers to the application of game design techniques or gamified mechanisms to address challenges encountered in the implementation of non-game content, thereby transforming originally dull material into engaging and interesting experiences to enhance the participation and motivation of relevant stakeholders.

From a management perspective, gamification can be defined as the process of enhancing the gamified service experience to maximize user value creation.

In the field of internet healthcare, gamification is frequently applied to health-related mobile applications—such as those for health management, disease prevention, and medication adherence—as well as to remote initiatives like medical education.



Specific Applications of Gamification in Internet Healthcare

In most health management, medication adherence, weight loss, and other related healthcare apps, gamification is mainly applied in the following three ways:

• Use progress bars to indicate completion rates. This approach visually motivates users and enhances perceived value during usage, as seen in weight-loss apps, medication adherence programs, and medical education platforms.




• Enable users to share their progress and results with friends, family, and other users of the service. This can stimulate users’ latent competitive spirit, encouraging more frequent and extensive use of the service. Examples include fitness apps and weight-loss apps.




• Virtual rewards such as badges, medals, and gold coins are awarded upon the completion of specific stages or the achievement of particular goals. This approach enhances users’ sense of accomplishment and further boosts their motivation to engage with the platform. Examples include weight loss apps, fitness apps, and chronic disease management apps.

In many other more advanced medical apps, gamified activities and exercises have been designed for the elderly and patients with motor neuron disorders, utilizing biosensors and gesture control technology to achieve real-time motion capture and feedback.

Furthermore, it is common to use storytelling, 2D or 3D animation to deliver health-related knowledge concerning diagnosis, treatment, and patient management. This approach has proven highly effective in disseminating medical knowledge to patients, physicians, and medical students.

Therefore, gamification is also frequently employed to disseminate medical knowledge and provide remote education for patients and healthcare workers in remote areas.

Gamification Trends in the Current Market and Industry

According to a report by Markets and Markets, the gamification industry is projected to reach $5.5 billion in 2018, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 67.1% from a market size of $421 million in 2013. It should be noted that this figure encompasses the entire gamification sector, not just its application within the internet healthcare domain.

M2 Research projected that by 2016, total investment in gamification in the United States alone would reach $2.8 billion. A 2011 market survey by Gartner indicated that by 2015, more than 50% of organizations would have adopted gamification.

Promote GamificationThe main reasons for the growth in investment are:

• The medical field places great emphasis on disease prevention;




• Value-based reimbursement under the “Affordable Care Act”;




• The gradual shift of the internet healthcare market toward a B2C model;




• The Maturation of Millennials Who Grew Up with Video Games;




• The surge in popularity of healthcare apps has led to heightened health awareness;




• The innovation of human-computer interaction technology, represented by Kinect gesture control in the Xbox 360;

Constraints on the Growth of the Gamification Market:

• Lack of distinctiveness and innovation;




• Limitations on the degree of gamification due to inherent nature;




• The characteristics of gamification and the promised outcomes are “weakly correlated”;




• Believing that gamification is solely the domain of gamers;




• Using gamification to support a product or mechanism that is inherently flawed;




• Use only one gamification element;




• Dependence on and Fatigue from Gamification;

"Under current circumstances and given the likely future trend of further development in gamification, it seems that achieving 'victory' requires nothing more than simply 'playing.'"