Using electronic game techniques to create better hospital experiences: Keith Joe at TEDxMelbourne
The speaker argues that the fear of hospitals, rooted in the unknown, can be mitigated by applying "World of Fun" principles—like digital engagement—to the healthcare experience. This concept was personally inspired by an 8-year-old fear of getting a fishbone stuck, and finds its modern application in using an app to turn hospital visits into a points-based treasure hunt. ## Speakers & Context - Speaker recounts childhood fear of hospitals after a fishbone got stuck, illustrating the anxiety derived from the unknown. - Later compares the fear of hospitals to the experience of modern "World of Fun" activities enjoyed by children (bowling/arcade). - Gives a personal account of working in a hospital setting and using glue instead of sutures to treat a cut, providing a moment of relief. - Details a specific scenario: a child (Loy) needing hospital treatment at halftime of a basketball game, forcing a confrontation between "World of Fun" and "World of Fear." - Proposes a technical solution: applying electronic gaming principles to the hospital environment. ## Theses & Positions - Hospitals are ironically described as places of healing, but they are often *"one of the most stressful and least restful places"* due to the fear of the unknown. - The "World of Fun" concept, characterized by tangible rewards (like arcade tickets), can be mapped onto the "World of Fear" of healthcare. - The core goal is to make the experience of healthcare *"interactive, engaging and less scary"* by leveraging technology. ## Concepts & Definitions - **World of Fun:** Characterized by tangible rewards, such as the process of earning arcade tickets at a bowling alley; the experience of fun and choice. - **World of Fear:** The anxiety associated with hospitals, stemming primarily from the unknown and unfamiliar procedures (e.g., being told *"you need to go for some further tests"*). - **Digital Natives:** Children who are comfortable with modern technology including *"computers, laptops mobile devices smartphones"*. - **Transacting Health:** The systemic process of interacting with healthcare, which the speaker seeks to modernize via digital means. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **De-escalation of Pain:** In the hospital setting, replacing painful procedures (like sutures) with less invasive methods (like gluing a wound) provided immediate comfort and reassurance. - **Gamification:** The process of turning a serious or scary activity (like visiting the X-ray department) into a points-based game, where success yields rewards (like electronic points/tickets). - **Engagement Loop:** The patient (avatar) navigates the hospital as a *"treasure hunt"*, completing required diagnostic steps (X-ray, getting a plaster, treatment) to accumulate points. - **Involving Stakeholders:** The system requires engagement from patients, the hospital staff, and the community/businesses that fund or support the initiative. ## Timeline & Sequence - **Childhood (age 8):** Fishbone gets stuck in throat, initial fear of hospital due to unknown procedures. - **~40 years later (Present):** Speaker works in a hospital setting, encountering lacerations and minor procedures. - **Specific Incident:** Son Loy falls on his right wrist at a basketball game; dad's participation is required at halftime. - **Proposal Development:** The idea to merge electronic gaming into hospital visits emerges from the necessity of managing Loy's care in a high-stress, unfamiliar environment. ## Named Entities - **Melbourne** — Location of the basketball game where the critical incident occurred. ## Numbers & Data - Child's age when first hospital visit: **8 years old**. - Age difference between childhood fear and present: **Almost 40 years**. - Specific items mentioned in child entertainment: **Princess ring**, **bouncy ball**, **bracelets**. - Cost discrepancy noted: A princess ring costing **5 cents** vs. payment of **$15**. - Sports/Medical acronyms mentioned for scope: **CT scanning**, **Radiotherapy**, **Chemotherapy**, **ECGs**, **EEGs**, **EMGs**, **Appendectomies**, **Ectomies**, **Singo ectomies**. ## Examples & Cases - **Fishbone incident:** Fishbone gets stuck in throat; mother uses ENT skill to remove it. - **Bowler's tokens:** The analogy of spending $15 to get a cheap, highly desirable trinket (princess ring). - **Laceration care:** Treating a kid's cut with glue instead of sutures. - **Icy Pole:** A "balanced therapeutic electrolyte solution Frozen in a little stick" given as a peace offering at the hospital. - **Loy's injury:** Falling heavily on the right wrist; diagnosed as potentially a *"green stick fracture"*. - **Model Implementation:** Using a smartphone app to allow Loy to create an avatar that progresses through the hospital's areas (starting in the X-ray department). - **Reward System:** Points are earned for completing services (e.g., X-ray game knowledge); rewards can be an **iTunes voucher** or **tickets to the Melbourne Tigers basketball game**. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **Smartphone:** Used by the speaker to log into the hospital app. - **Hospital App:** The proposed digital framework for the system. - **Avatar:** Digital representation of the patient's journey/mission. - **X-ray Game:** Interactive educational module within the app that teaches about X-rays and radiographers. - **Electronic Points:** Digital currency used to track progress and earn rewards, analogous to arcade tokens. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives - **Traditional Care:** The current process involving explicit procedures, waiting, and potential pain (sutures). - **Proposed Digital Intervention:** Replacing anxiety and unknowns with structured play, gamification, and clear, achievable goals. - **Content Partnership:** Utilizing international characters (from international content partners) to guide children, adding familiarity and appeal. ## Methodology - **Needs Assessment:** Identifying the anxiety drivers in healthcare (the unknown). - **Metaphorical Mapping:** Drawing parallels between the "fun economy" (bowling tickets) and the clinical experience. - **Design Thinking:** Creating a systematic, tech-enabled pathway to engagement (the app structure). - **Community Integration:** Requiring input from game developers, content partners, and local businesses for success. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - The speaker advocates for the immediate implementation of technology-driven educational and engaging platforms within hospitals to improve the pediatric experience of healthcare. - The ultimate vision is a hospital system where care feels like an adventure, not a source of fear. ## Implications & Consequences - By addressing the *fear* element, the system could reduce stress, potentially leading to better patient compliance and recovery outcomes. - The success of this model sets a new standard for how technology can be used to *"fix an old problem with a fresh set of eyes."* ## Verbatim Moments - *"I was terrified I was afraid I've never been to hospital"* - *"I was not going to get in that car"* - *"hospitals are places of healing but ironically they can be one of the most stressful and least restful places"* - *"it's the fear of the unknown it's the fear of the unfamiliar which creates anxiety"* - *"i have an idea and the ideas around bringing electronic gaming to the hospital environment to demystify it"* - *"the hospital becomes a maze a treasure hunt"* - *"we're on a mission we're on a mission to improve kids experience of Health Care"* - *"all we need is a little bit of technology that your experience of Health Care will be an interactive engaging and less scary experience"*