The pharmaceutical sector is now taking up gamified learning and education approaches for better penetration of the message with interactive engagement. It is the step towards disrupting how pharma communication and the healthcare system are managed.
Survival of the fittest stands true for businesses with emerging technology and competition, especially in the pharma industry. And effective communication is a catalyst that promises sustainable progress. Let us take the analogy of lion and healing angel to understand how beneficial the amalgamation of technology and communication is.
The lion is old and wise. A few new arrivals are threatening to take over his domain. But he draws on his experience, wisdom, and strength to demonstrate why he is still the king.
On the other hand, a healing angel carefully checks ill and wounded. The angle checks the bird's temperature. Then she picks up a syringe to administer an injection. Suddenly, evil mites appear on her hand and attack her and the bird.
The lion and the angel are not real. They are characters in a game that the HCP and the nurse have downloaded and enjoy playing on their mobiles. While the lion is a renowned orthopedic doctor. The healing angel is a nurse in an oncologist's ward.
With gamified learning, the nurse is made aware that she forgot an essential step of sanitization between checking the temperature and administering the injection. It's fun and interactive learning! However, the takeaway messages are profound. Gamification in healthcare promotes better engagement while delivering the message clearly.
Gaming- a now communication
It is always challenging to retain the recipient's attention and ensure the message goes through. One of the factors in the sender's control, then and now, is how the message is packaged. Enter gamification that uses an engaging game as a delivery mechanism for the message.
Aren't we all game to win! And nothing like an engaging game to break the monotony of a tough day, right?
During the last Veeva Summit, our discussions revealed that many pharma marketing teams have already added or are adding gamification to their marketing quiver. And HCPs are game if they remain in control and the game is not a frivolous promotion.
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Watch the video to understand how gamification in healthcare is benefitting all stakeholders!
The biggest plus of gamified learning is it promotes engagement. It turns the traditionally one-way communication process into an engaging two-way process where the message gets transmitted almost subliminally.
Some statistics(1) show how gamification in healthcare is a new way of marketing and is changing the learning and education in the pharmaceutical sector globally.
Healthcare Gamification Market size valued at over USD 25.3 billion in 2020 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of more than 14.6% between 2021 and 2027.
The education segment in the healthcare gamification market is anticipated to reach USD 6.2 billion by 2027.
Exercise games to increasingly influence the demand for gamification in the market:
Virtual reality-based learning games have the highest growth rate among all educational game types through 2024 at 51.9%, followed by evaluation and assessment games at 46.2% and language learning games at 41.8%. (2)
The message is the hero
According to a seasoned marketing manager, gamification's present and immediate danger let the medium overwhelm the message. "A game is fun, but the brand custodian must ensure the message remains the hero. Does the game suit the target audience's persona in terms of both content and complexity? Do content and message comply with the regulations at all locations where the game is likely to be used? Are the metrics in place to measure the return on investment? Is it transparent to the user what sort of data would be collected in the course of the game, who would use it, and how?"
A technical team member presently involved in developing games for some global pharmaceutical companies concurred. "Technology does not have any emotion. The emotion comes from the story that we use that technology to tell. And the kind of interactivity and gaming elements we weave in. The team in charge of each project comprises communication experts, doctors, and other SMEs. They own the message, and our responsibility is to ensure we remain loyal to the message even as we work towards shaping an experience that is great fun!"
Aren't doctors serious by nature? How do they react to the idea of playing games at work? A senior HCP had to say at the Veeva Summit: "Yes, we are serious, and we are always busy. No sooner have we finished dealing with one patient and their background than we need to switch focus to the next, who often has an entirely different set of problems. Somewhere along, we try to accommodate the pharma representative also. Amid all this, yes, we do enjoy a spot of the game if it is sensible. After all, we are human too. And inside all of us, there is always a child."
The video highlights how healthcare gamification aids in infection control and promotes hand hygiene.
At Ethosh, we blend the real and the virtual to communicate challenging concepts. From strategy to execution in pharma, life sciences to the products of modern manufacturing. We use the latest digital tools and platforms to help you communicate efficiently and effectively: to market, to instruct, and to inform.
With expertise in the field, Ethosh harnesses the power of AR in learning content for gaming. At Ethosh, we have created Gamrr- a platform that does more than allow you to create learning games. The platform provides visual representation of reports in forms of graphs and charts and with precise analysis, you can make informed decisions! It also enables you to gain insight into which areas you and your teams need to improve and where you already excel.
Reference and Citation -
2. Finance online- https://financesonline.com/gamification-statistics/
