Physicians often struggle to help patients change their health behaviors. Patients may know that they need to quit smoking, lose weight, or exercise more, but summoning the will to change is hard. It’s particularly difficult for the highest-risk patients who may have life circumstances — challenges such as unemployment or homelessness — that make it harder for them to focus on the long-term. But combining behavioral economics and “gamification” — putting game elements such as points and achievement levels into non-game contexts — holds promise for driving behavior change when a doctor’s advice, and patient’s good intentions, are not enough.
Improving Health Care by Gamifying It
Prompts and rewards can help patients stick to their treatments.
May 07, 2019
wragg/Getty Images
Summary.
Physicians often struggle to help patients change their health behaviors. Patients may know that they need to quit smoking, lose weight, or exercise more, but summoning the will to change is hard. But combining behavioral economics and “gamification” — putting game elements such as points and achievement levels into non-game contexts — holds promise for driving behavior change. But to make this happen, gamified health programs must leverage behavioral science. For example, personalized goal setting, commitment pledges, “fresh start” moments when people fall off the wagon, and social incentives can boost participation and outcomes over the long-term. And while incorporating principles from behavioral economics is not hard or expensive, it does require attention to detail. Small changes can have a big impact.