In the last decade, due to advances in technology and the discovery of new learning technologies, the games that were usually for entertainment have now turned into interesting tools for updating knowledge of different fields.
Based on the concept of ‘gamification’, different recreational activities and techniques that include a group of rules and challenges are used to deal with emotional cognitive processes which benefit the creation of new skills for the attendees.
Also read: Benefits of Gamification
This is not only about turning a boring concept into an entertaining one but rather of, contributing to the dissemination of information through channels different to the traditional ones.
What is medical gamification?
Through gamification, a whole world of useful resources for any subject have been achieved. That’s why, this learning system is increasingly gaining ground as a training method, because it makes easier to take in new concepts and practices by causing a positive experience for the user who is recognized for its achievements.
As a matter of fact, among the fields in which this technique has gained a lot of popularity, we find the medical field by encouraging healthcare professionals to not only open up to new technologies, but also to get to know scientific studies and advances in a faster and different way.
To gain specific abilities, both scientific laboratories and medical programs, have set up new formats that go from videogames, interactive tools such as forms, surveys and case studies, to phygital experiences (physical+digital) in which real-life medical situations are simulated so that the user is able to answer questions and solve problems in a risk-free environment.
They key to success for any of these activities is not to ignore the evaluation of the audience’s progress, which can be made through the compilation of data in order to prove what was learned from the studied topics.
Characteristics of gamification for the medical and pharmaceutical sector
Although, gamification has several uses, just like the formats available for connecting with the different types of audiences, two main characteristics of this tool, which are essential for healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical sector, can be pointed out.
Challenges and obstacles: Adversity makes the chosen format interesting, but be careful of going too far. Healthcare professionals find inspiration on the ongoing challenges and somehow, their education and the daily challenges they face in medical facilities go hand in hand when choosing between one molecule or the other.
Another characteristic of gamification in the medical field context is the design of the format that is based on different levels of difficulty, because a very easy dynamic will lead the user to quickly overcome all the challenges and get bored easily.
Scientific support: When we design a gamified scheme or activity for audiences related to the medical and pharmaceutical field, it is essential to count with the support of a scientific community and a group of experts to give us advice on the contents that will be on each activity. There´s no room for imprecisions or unclear information, that’s why this tool, besides of its ‘shape’, it has an essential theoretical component that must be address carefully.
Hybrid events with gamification activities.
With the implementation of hybrid events (the ones that take place in a physical and virtual space simultaneously), a number of endless opportunities have been created to apply recreational resources in activities that used to be fully academic and were made under traditional formats.
Through the digital tools, events that used to be held face-to-face and behind closed doors, have increased their reach and are now able to get to other parts of the world without the need for the attendees to move around therefore, time and space barriers break down. Besides, these tools have made the set-up of online activities easier, through real-time interactions between speakers and the event attendees.
Education included at events.
Is possible to update and acquire new knowledge trough an entertaining way thanks to gamification, nonetheless, doing it in a collaborative way by creating spaces for discussion and contributions, makes it even better.
Nowadays, is possible to recreate clinical cases that will be analyzed by the audience, with the help of a speaker, who will promote the implementation of the knowledge of healthcare professionals to come up with the problem’s solution and will also generate right away accurate results and statistics, relevant for the medical and pharmaceutical field.
Tools like videogames, key questions, medical discussions, etc., are some of the tools that are gaining more and more relevance in the making of congresses, meetings, symposiums or workshops that aim to use formats that are more dynamic and have more engagement.
What is the goal of medical gamification?
The goal of gamification is no other than knowledge management. Some branches of the medicine field, such as the ones of laboratories and health professionals. are focused on the daily purpose of creating actions that care for people’s life, that’s why, gamified activities for this specific audience, must contribute somehow to their daily task in order to get an experience from each phase that could be appropriate to use on a daily basis.
The practice of a procedure, the steps of a medical treatment or the discovery of a new molecule, are some of the processes that can be put into practice through dynamic formats from which they can also get a reward or recognition for reaching the goals set.
All of this, to help with the interaction between the medical and scientific community, by opening up new spaces for new concepts and contributions which are gather up from the different perspectives of users that enrich each other’s learning process.
Help people to be more creative.
The permanent evolution of society has led us to build up new skills based on the adaptability to change, digital literacy, complex thinking and creativity.
That’s why, it is so important to encourage the activity participants to think differently, based on new knowledges that can be applied immediately in order to find different solutions to everyday problems.
The foundation of gamification lies in catching the attention of the participants by promoting and encouraging the willingness to learn and understand new concepts.
How to include medical gamification into a pharmaceutical marketing strategy?
The set of strategies for advertising products or services from different laboratory brands, obeying the guidelines of national and international legal frameworks, are what we call pharmaceutical marketing.
When we use a strategy correctly, we are guaranteeing a highly positive impact on all audiences of the sector, which are getting more and more demanding when engaging with any brand.
As we have mentioned before, gamification brings us closer to the audience by identifying us as a source of knowledge, making us a distinguishing factor.
Currently, pharmaceutical marketing strategies don’t focus exclusively on the final sale, but rather in the health professionals’ understanding of the benefits, the distinguishing factor, the instructions and the scientific support of molecules developed in laboratories.
Gamify formats and content lead us to a more ordinary reception of the information through a memorable experience.
Include medical gamification in your phygital event.
The phygital trend is redefining digital marketing through its component of multisensory experiences which include different formats and technologies to immerse the audience into a better digital environment.
Also read: What is phygital?
Tools such as holograms, holostreaming, augmented and virtual reality, etc; can be modified with a component of gamification to achieve an unforgettable impact and a greater engagement among the audiences and the brands.
As we already know, games have the power to promote learning, increase engagement, develop skills, allow the use of new findings and improve cooperation. By merging the advantages of gamification through innovative formats, we will have success in our communication strategies, therefore, be closer to our audience and reach a better position.
Are you interested in medical gamification? We can guide you
Pharmaceutical digital marketing strategies must be linked to EMC-Continuing Medical Education defined as the set of activities that allow the healthcare professionals to update their knowledge and improve their skills.
At Igloolab, we turn scientific subjects into dynamic and entertaining content, easy to understand and that encourages the audience to keep learning.
We manage to merge innovative formats, phygital experiences and gamification which are focused on helping different audiences in the creation of new skills, improving resources and contributing to the key mission of taking care of life.
Luis Alfonso Ruíz
Igloolab– CEO
