National Health Innovation Technology Challenge Launched in Singapore

The National Healthcare Group (NHG), Serious Games Association (SGA) and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) signed a Memorandum of Intent to collaborate on applying serious gaming technology within the healthcare industry and launched its first effort: a national competition in Singapore called the Health Innovation Technology Challenge.

The Challenge is open to all healthcare organizations in Singapore – and encourages their employees to work with the NHG, SGA and IDA to conceptualize and develop prototypes for potential games that could develop solutions to real healthcare problems. The three agencies say the game learning industry has shown benefits for both patients and healthcare staff – and that studies show users learn more effectively and retain information better when taught through gameplay.

These benefits are part of the theme for HIT Challenge 2016 - “Moving Towards Better Healthcare: Enabling, Education and Efficiency”. Teams can compete in three categories – Primary Prevention & Care; Hospital Clinical Management; and Post-Discharge Continual Care. In Phase 1, participants will be judged based on their concept submissions. Shortlisted teams will then advance to Phase 2, and will have six months to develop their ideas, with support from technology mentors. Prototypes with the most innovative, original concept that show feasibility, relevance and long-term sustainability could win the grand prize of S$3,000. The winners will be announced in September. For more information on HIT Challenge 2016, visit http://association.seriousgamesasia.com/event/hit-2016/.