Health Programs in Virtual Worlds

Using Virtual World Technology to

Deliver Effective, Efficient and

Inexpensive Health Improvement

Programs

Peter Mills. MD

September 17, 2010

Aim

• To give you a better understanding of the

relatively new area of virtual worlds and how

they have the potential to augment existing

approached to health promotion.

Background – Who Am I?

• UK based physician

• Co-founder of vielife (acquired by

CIGNA 2006)

• Founded HealthyWorlds 2009 to

explore use of virtual worlds in

healthcare

Context

• The business case for investing in workplace

or insurer funded health programs is proven.

• However, in today’s economic environment,

the challenge is to maintain momentum and

improve existing health promotion programs

while reducing costs.

Employer sponsored Health &

Well-being Programs Work

• Presence of health risk factors predict future healthcare costs.(Pronk et al. 1999: JAMA)

• Changes in health risk status associated with significant

changes in healthcare costs (Edington et al. 1997: JOEM)

• Return on Investment from medical costs alone 4.56 to 1 (Ozminkowski et al. 1999: AJHP)

• Fewer absence days in worksite health promotion

participants with ROI 2.3 to 1

(Schultz et al. 2002: JOEM)

• 10% increase in productivity and ROI of 6.2 to 1.

(Mills et al. 2007; AJHP)


Well-being Programs

Paper On Site Telephone

Online


Well-being Programs

Web 2.0

User generated content, social networking, gaming and

collaboration

Virtual Worlds

The SIMS – A Virtual World

• PC game virtual world launched 2000

• Limited in what could be done

• Originally no connection with other (single

player game)

Second Life – A Virtual World

• 3-dimensional virtual world

• Launched in 2003

• Created by Linden Research Inc (SF headquartered, venture capital backed)

• 20 million residents (900% growth in last 18 months)

• “In-world” currency: L$

• 18-44 years age range (35% in the 25-34 years group)

“By 2011 80% of internet users will have a virtual world avatar” Gartner Research 2008.

OpenSIM – A Virtual World

• Open Source 3D virtual world

• Many of the same features as Second Life

• Like many open source projects many

developers working for free with a

community of enthusiasts

• Gaining popularity over last 12 months

“By 2011 80% of internet users will have a virtual world avatar” Gartner Research 2008.

Already an active environment for

learning, selling and entertainment

How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works

Step 1:Register, Create Avatar & Download Software


Step 2:Attend “in-world”seminars & events






Step 3:Engage in self directed learning modules


Step 3:Engage in self directed learning modules


Step 4:Informally meet with others like you in the communal areas


Step 5:Separate secure branded areas for your employees.

Key Attributes

• Real time ‘Peer to Peer’ Communication & Social Networking

• ‘Always On’, no time dependence

• Confidential and secure

• Global access from desk/home/workplace

• Immersive and interactive environments

• Controlled and private ‘Members Only’ community

• Anonymous so well suited to dealing with ‘personal’issues

• Access to low cost, highly trained practitioners

Asynchronous Real time

EmailPaper

Virtual World

Web Blogs IM/Chat Phone Face-to-face

Isolated Shared

Virtual World

Web Phone Email Blogs IM/Chat Webcast Face-to-face

Virtual Worlds

Imperial College: International Virtual Association of Surgeons, Apr 2008

CIGNA/vielife Delivery of Nutrition seminars

Virtual Hospital - Simulated Patients

Sources: Cigna, vielife, Imperial College London, BBC

Visualization of Health Care provision, UK 2008

Schizophrenia Experience

Diabetes Education, Boston University Medical School

A number of applications of virtual

world technology in health care

Further Reading

Guardian Newspaper (August 2010)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/22/discover-virtual-worlds-revolution

Occupational Health Magazine (February 2010)

http://bit.ly/9wPqE6

Thank-you

[email protected]

HealthyWorlds

twitter.com/healthyworlds

http://bit.ly/healthyworlds