Gamification in Healthcare: 6 Examples of How It’s Used

How many times have you used an app, played a game, or been on social media and just couldn't put it down? A few times? A lot?

More often than not, engaging with these activities rewards your brain in a specific way. This so-called “dopamine rush” happens when doing something you find enjoyable or exciting. Dopamine is a chemical made by our brains that encourages us to repeat these actions.

Many technology companies have found ways to tap into this aspect of human behavior to keep users engaged with their products and services. One technique to accomplish this is called gamification. Gamification is a strategy that provides a reward to a person to encourage them to keep using a product.

But these methods aren’t just being applied to video games and social networking apps. Using gamification in healthcare can help encourage lifestyle changes and healthy habits.

What is gamification?

Gamification is a term that started gaining traction in the 2010s. Many developers and companies wanted to find a way to reward people for behavior change.

For instance, many public health campaigns using media, such as television commercials, aren’t always successful in changing people’s habits. You may see ads about exercising, but will it make you want to get up and go for a walk? Or will you forget about that ad once the commercial break is over?

Gamification is the concept that instead of telling you to do something, you’re rewarded for doing something. This can include many different rewards. Maybe it's points to show your progress. Or maybe there are badges you got for doing something awesome. The possibilities are seemingly endless. 

These rewards signify that you’re doing a good job and that there’s more to come if you keep at it. This activates a release of dopamine in the brain and encourages you to keep using the product.

How is gamification used in healthcare?

Gamification is being explored in healthcare as a means to help change people's health habits. This has become an area of focus in recent years. Researchers are still learning whether gamification can really help improve health.

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Some areas of interest when it comes to using gamification in healthcare include:

• Mental health and well-being

• Physical activity and exercise

• Smoking cessation (quitting smoking)

• Encouraging lifestyle changes that can benefit chronic health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes

Keep in mind that using gamification in healthcare won’t cure or reverse health conditions. And it’s not a replacement for standard treatments. But it may be a helpful addition when it comes to developing good habits that complement someone’s current treatments.

Benefits of gamification in healthcare

We need more research focused on gamification in healthcare to say for sure what benefits it may have. Possible benefits could include:

• People being more engaged in their overall health

• People being better informed about their health conditions or treatments

• People sticking to treatments, therapies, or medications better

• Healthcare professionals having better insight about their patients’ health conditions

6 examples of gamification in healthcare

There are many ways that gamification has been used for healthcare. Below are six examples.

1. Workplace wellness challenges

Ever participate in a “steps challenge” at work? This is an example of gamification used by employers. These challenges encourage their workers to compete and get more active through wellness challenges. Typically employees participate in a team for a reward.

2. Smartwatch incentives

The Apple Watch initiated something called the close ring feature. You can set standing, exercise, and movement goals for each day. As you get closer to your goals, a colored line begins to form a circle and shows you how close you are to each goal. You can also share your progress with others and compete with friends. Other brand smartwatches, such as FitBit and Garmin, also have similar features.

3. Exercise and fitness apps

Many exercise and fitness apps and devices use gamification that rewards you for exercising consistently. Users can earn badges for monthly challenges or points for progress. This can help encourage users to strive to be more active in order to see their progress and rewards.

4. Physical therapy

There are several studies of people using gamification in physical therapy. These included people attending rehabilitation after musculoskeletal surgery, such as a knee replacement. But they’ve also looked at people undergoing long-term physical therapy for chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

In one of these studies, participants with knee osteoarthritis used Nintendo’s Wii Fit game. Researchers found it helped people improve balance and lowered their risk of falls.

5. Anxiety in children

Lumi Nova is an example of gamification in mental health. This app is designed for children between ages 7 to 12 with mild to moderate anxiety. The game teaches the child techniques taught in cognitive behavioral therapy. It also provides in-game rewards after the child completes challenges.

A small study showed Lumi Nova helped reduce some anxiety symptoms after children played it for 8 weeks. It also helped those children make progress with their personal treatment goals. But it didn’t significantly improve their overall functioning.

6. ADHD in children

Another example of gamification in children’s healthcare is EndeavorRx. This is a mobile video game for kids ages 8 to 12 with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Through its gameplay, it helps improve attention and focus over time. Along with other gamified rewards, the app allows the child to earn digital “gems” that can unlock new levels in the game.

Does gamification in healthcare work?

There have been mixed results when using gamification for managing health conditions. One study looked at the use of gamification to encourage more physical activity and promote weight loss in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Participants in this study all received a wearable device that tracked their steps and activity. They were then split into two groups: one group that experienced gamification and one that did not. Gamification had some impact on promoting behavior change, such as walking more and exercising.

But there was no significant difference in weight loss between those who used gamification and those who didn’t. Both groups lost significant weight, though. The most noticeable benefits were seen in the first few months of the study. People seemed to become less engaged as time went on.

Another study looked at using gamification to encourage more physical activity in adults who are considered overweight or obese. The group using gamification were more active during the beginning of the study. But as time went on, they weren’t significantly more active than those who weren’t using gamification.

Why did gamification stop working?

Researchers aren’t sure why gamification stopped working in the studies discussed above. But it could be because the novelty of the reward system wears off as time passes. In other words, people get bored of the same thing over and over.

More research will need to be conducted about the long-term use of gamification in healthcare. It’s possible that better technology needs to be developed that can keep people engaged for a longer time. Or perhaps gamified experiences need to change over time in order to prevent boredom.

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Written by:

Timothy Aungst, PharmD

Timothy Aungst, PharmD, has worked in pharmacy practice for a decade. He has served as an associate professor of pharmacy practice, a clinical pharmacist in outpatient cardiology management, and now in home healthcare.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

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