How RPG Logic And Simulations Are Changing The Game In Healthcare

Role-playing games (RPGs) and simulations (SIMs) are some of the most engaging types of games because they place players in various immersive situations.

- Gadjo Sevilla

Participants can succeed or fail at their quests depending on how they respond to situations and challenges. They can also learn from their mistakes and increase their experience the more they play. This type of game logic is now being integrated with various technologies to benefit healthcare providers and patients by helping them better engage in potentially life-saving conversations.

Kognito is a health simulation company that designs scenarios and virtual human training solutions that hone conversational skills to improve patient interactions. Their scenarios help patients navigate possible treatments by conversing with an avatar called a “virtual human.”

“We started around 10 years ago and have around 90 employees composed of instructional designers, writers, behavioral psychologists, and software engineers,” said Ron Goldman, co-founder and CEO of Kognito. “We’re not trying to be the Google or WebMD for healthcare training. We apply technology and game logic to create simulations. We track and analyze decisions people make as well as user feedback to help us get better.”

Kognito has engaged more than one million users and currently has three key applications: Patient Screening and Intake, Coaching, and Role-Play Conversations. By creating a library of scenarios based on game logic and the science of human emotions, Kognito’s simulations can train users to say the right words at the right time.

Similar to other online corporate training services, scenarios unfold in onscreen role-play conversations with virtual humans, the avatars that serve as practice patients. Users can assume various roles ranging from teachers who are talking to students showing signs of psychological distress or healthcare providers discussing delicate medical issues with patients.