Health Affairs

Health Affairs, 28, no. 5 (2009): w842-w848 (Published online 4 August 2009) doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.5.w842 © 2009 by Project HOPE	New Online   Getting Health Reform Done   After the State of the Union   Incremental Reform   E-Health in Developing World   Most-Read Articles in 2009

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Games For Health: The Latest Tool In The Medical Care Arsenal

Carleen Hawn

At the heart of any promising plan to transform the health care system lie two priorities: broader access to care for patients, and deeper engagement in health care by patients. Although the problem of expanding access to affordable care remains unresolved, new tools for deepening consumers’ engagement in health care are proliferating like viral spores in a virtual pond. Digital games, including virtual realities, computer simulations, and online play, are valuable tools for fostering patient participation in health-related activities. This is why gaming is the latest tool in the arsenal to improve health outcomes: gaming makes health care fun.

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