On Call is a Serious Game that allows medical and nursing students to simulate patient assessment in Emergency Department (please find also Crossing the Chasm With Serious Games For Medical Education).
Developed
by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Becker College, and
the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute,
On Call was voted Best in Show at the Serious Games and Virtual
Environments Showcase at the 13th
Annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH), held
January 26–30, 2013 at The Peabody Orlando Hotel in Orlando, FL.
The
multiplayer Serious Game simulates an Emergency Department and is designed to
sharpen quick-thinking skills for emergency medical personnel. On Call allows
students to use social network-style game mechanics to play different medical
team roles in a fast-paced setting. Students have the opportunity to assess,
evaluate, and treat patients while balancing factors such as time, efficiency,
and resources.
In a
statement, MassDiGI executive director Timothy Loew added that “On Call” was
built by students from Becker College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Springfield College, Mt. Holyoke College, and
Berklee College of Music, with support from UMMS experts and game industry
professionals during MassDiGI’s 2012 Summer Innovation Program at Becker
College in Worcester.
“On Call game will enter a closed beta testing period next semester. After more
testing, the developers look to commercialize the game”, Loew said.
Here is the
full press release:
UMMS, MassDiGI and Becker
College medical training game awarded Best in Show at international competition
‘Serious’ game
allows medical students to simulate patient assessment in Emergency Department
WORCESTER,
MA -- A game developed by UMass Medical School (UMMS), the Massachusetts Digital Games
Institute (MassDiGI), and Becker College was voted Best in Show at the
Serious Games and Virtual Environments Showcase at the 2013 SSIH International Meeting for Simulation in
Healthcare in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday.
“We are
very excited, pleased and proud to have received this recognition,” said Michele
Pugnaire, MD, UMMS senior associate dean for educational affairs and professor
of family medicine & community health. The inter professional Center for
Experiential Learning and Simulation (iCELS) at UMMS played a key role in the
game’s development.
The
training, communication, and assessment game, titled “On Call,” simulates an
Emergency Department and is designed to be played by medical and nursing
students. The multiplayer, asynchronous game allows students to use social
or Facebook-style game mechanics to play different medical team roles in a
fast-paced setting. Students have an opportunity to “virtually” assess,
evaluate, and treat patients while balancing factors such as time, efficiency,
and resources.
“By
combining gaming technology with medical education, ‘On Call’ represents a
special opportunity for innovation in simulation,” said Melinda Taylor, senior
engineer in simulation at UMMS.
“On Call” was built by students from Becker
College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, Springfield College, Mt. Holyoke College, and Berklee College of
Music, with support from UMMS experts and game industry professionals during
MassDiGI’s 2012 Summer Innovation Program at Becker College in Worcester, according
to MassDiGI Executive Director Timothy Loew.
Loew said
the “On Call” game will enter a closed beta testing period next semester,
allowing for further data to be gathered. With data in hand, the partners plan
to continue the development and commercialization process.
“Not only
was it a fun project to be a part of,” said Barbara Walsh, MD, UMMS assistant
professor of pediatrics, “it was great to work with game designers, artists and
programmers.”
“Building
‘On Call’ was a great experience for me and everyone on our team,” said Cordell
Zebrose, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute student who worked on the game.
“As we know
from our experiences and outcomes at UMMS, simulation technologies are having a
positive impact across the healthcare professions on many levels. And, in the
case of serious games like ‘On Call,’ we are eager to explore new opportunities,”
said Dr. Pugnaire.
About the University of
Massachusetts Medical School
The
University of Massachusetts Medical School has built a reputation as a
world-class research institution, consistently producing noteworthy advances in
clinical and basic research. The Medical
School attracts more than $250 million in research funding annually, 80 percent
of which comes from federal funding sources. UMMS is the academic partner of
UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest health care provider in Central
Massachusetts. For more information, visit http://www.umassmed.edu/
About MassDiGI
MassDiGI,
based at Becker College, is a statewide center for academic cooperation,
entrepreneurship and economic development across the Commonwealth’s digital and
video games ecosystem. For more information about MassDiGI, please visit http://www.massdigi.org/
About Becker College
The
Princeton Review ranks Becker College as
one of the best 377 colleges in the U.S. and Becker’s undergraduate video game
design program as one of the top two in Massachusetts and top 10 nationwide. In
2011, Becker was designated by the Patrick-Murray administration as host of the
Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDiGI). Becker serves 1,800 students
from across the country and around the world and offers a wide range of quality
degree programs that launch careers, from nursing to veterinary science, and a
variety of adult learning options. With campuses in Worcester and Leicester,
Mass., Becker College traces its history from the union of two Massachusetts
educational institutions—one founded in 1784 and the other in 1887—and has over
22,000 alumni worldwide.