16 Healthcare Gamification Startups To Watch In 2014

An in-depth look at sixteen of the most promising healthcare gamification startups to watch in 2014 and beyond.

Video games aren’t just for kids anymore. The earliest gaming consoles kept players stationary and sedentary, and thus became an object of concern in a world of rising obesity rates, diabetes and other health scares. But then came games that required players to move — to participate with their physical bodies. That opened up a whole new world of gaming that is quickly morphing into something more. It’s been called the “gamification” of healthcare, and it’s showing up everywhere — on computers, on smartphones and in the doctor’s office.

Gamification makes a lot of sense on all ends of the healthcare spectrum. Games are fun, and that means boring, staid healthcare can become more engaging and enjoyable. Games are also immediate, as they can be accessed on smartphones and other mobile devices. Value-based care focuses on prevention, and prevention often happens through changing behaviors, something that games can help players do. And the Millennial generation has grown up with gaming, making it much more likely that the use of healthcare games will increase as that generation ages and needs more medical care...