Games for Health

This just arrived in my mailbox:

Games for Health 2006 Announces Conference Content & Early Registration Third Annual Conference Covering Intersection of Games, Health and Healthcare – September 28-29, 2006 – Baltimore

August 2, 2006 (Portland, ME) — The Games for Health Project today released its content line-up for the third annual Games for Health Conference. The conference takes place September 28 and 29 at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD.

Among the sessions are topics such as “exergaming,” which is growing rapidly in popularity; using games for mass casualty simulation; cognitive exercise; an interesting project called “Pulse!” which attempts to build a full simulation of a hospital; electronci medical records viewed through the lens of games, and more.

Registration is open now for the conference. All information on sessions, travel, housing and registration ($295.00 until August 10) is available at http://www.gamesforhealth.org

Games for Health, 2006 features over 30 sessions on the latest and most innovative ways that video and computer gaming are becoming a powerful influence on health and healthcare. Sessions will cover products and projects aimed at personal health, exergaming, professional health care training and skill development, epidemics and disaster response, obesity, and health messaging. Last year the event drew over 200 researchers, developers healthcare professionals and journalists.

“The Games for Health conference is designed to strengthen the intersection between health care and gaming. We’re excited to see more and more innovators from the health and gaming arenas working together to make a real impact on people’s health everywhere,” said Ben Sawyer, co-founder of the Games for Health Project. The Games for Health Project is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Pioneer Portfolio, which funds innovative projects that may stimulate breakthrough change in health and health care.

This year’s conference returns to The University of Maryland School of Medicine and again receives support from both Maryland’s Department of Business & Economic Development and Baltimore County’s department of Economic Development.

“Maryland is an ideal location for this event. Its proximity to critical healthcare institutions such as NIH, TATRC, and Howard Hughges Medical Institute, as well as to the leading policy and health groups in Washington, DC, allows us to foster connections among key healthcare leaders and the thriving game developer community in Maryland,” said Games for Health Communications Director Beth Bryant.

In addition to content sessions, Games for Health 2006 features on- site demos of the latest efforts in the field, poster sessions, and important meet-up opportunities for researchers, assessment experts
and various government and non-government health initiatives.
Critical networking time is woven throughout the conference agenda, and the meeting features an evening reception sponsored by Virtual Heroes.

Summarizing the importance of the event, Ben Sawyer said, “Slowly but surely the last year has seen a growing appreciation for what modern day videogames can offer to healthcare. The combination of powerful technology, evolved interface design, and growing use among the next wave of health care workers is creating a ripe environment for further growth in this field. What once seemed like an idea on the fringes is gaining impressive momentum and becoming a mainstream reality. Our goal each year with the Games for Health Conference is to move the space forward until the role games, game developers, and game technologies can play in something as critical as our own health is fully realized.”

The quickie summary of the sessions can be found here.