07/06/2011

European convention on Serious Gaming in Health care

On Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 October, the Games For Health Foundation is organizing the first European convention Games for Health Europe 2011 in the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam. The convention provides answers to the question in what way games and simulations are able to provide a contribution to improved health care, and to help keep it affordable.

Over the course of two days, sixty presentations workshops and demonstrations will provide an insight into the latest developments in game applications in care for the elderly, care for addicts, psychiatric care, rehabilitation, fitness, medical education and gynecology. Organizer Jurriaan van Rijswijk took the convention from Boston to Amsterdam: “This convention brings together a special mix of game developers, medical professionals and researchers who all pursue the same objective: how do these separate worlds work together more effectively and how do we develop games we can use effectively in training doctors and nurses, treating physical or psychological complaints of patients, and in the prevention of illness in general. “
Game on prescription
According to Van Rijswijk, games in health care are an area of huge growth. Gynecologists for example, can use the game ‘Birthplay’ to practice difficult delivery scenarios on their PC. Young cancer patients can play the specially developed game ‘Re-Mission’ which allows them to deal with their illness better, and to recover more quickly after treatments. Iraq war veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS) play a game especially developed for them as part of a psychotherapy treatment plan. Van Rijswijk: “It is a question of time, but in the near future, you will go to your doctor and you will be prescribed a game, which alleviates the symptoms. This convention offers a platform for exactly these type of progressive applications.”
Target group
The target group of the convention is the European game producers, publishers of games and simulation games, IT companies, managers of health institutions, policy makers of the government, researchers and Ph.D students. The content of the conference is determined in close collaboration with the parent organization of Games for Health in Boston in the US. Participation in the convention costs 395 Euros in pre-registration instead of 495 Euros. You can register at www.gamesforhealtheurope.org
For more information contact mr. Ysbrand Derksen, Games for Health Europe, +31 6 107 340 52 or ysbrand@gamesforhealtheurope.org