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An operation room of the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Residents in training are playing here with prototypes of 'Serious Games'.
" You are constantly seeing biometric parameters change, so you have to pay attention"
This is the project 'Patient Safety'.
A collaboration between the Dutch Game Garden, TNO and the Academic Medical Center of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
"Residents in training for medical specialies have to learn a lot..
..in a short time, and it would be best to train them outside the actual patient to protect our patients".
This according to dr. Marlies Schijven, surgeon and projectleader of the AMC.
"So if you can train residents using mobile platforms wisely and validly, patients will ultimately benefit.
The game is situated in an operation room.
All kinds of sounds and beeps are heard, phones are ringing..
...people are roaming arond. It is up to the game player to filter out the relevant signals".
According to Joram Rafalowicz, game designer at 'Weird Beard'.
The project 'patient safety' is an exiting and innovative project.
Game designers had to develope a game for medical professionals.
And they are in need of a game that is of real value.
A challenge for the designers.
They could put on a band-aid, but that was about it -in terms of their medical knowledge before participating in this project.
"Eh, well yes, my medical knowledge was quite limited indeed".
Yannis Bolman, game designer of Little Chicken: "I had to learn a lot of specific medical knowledge..
...because we had to select key medical issues that were interesting to build a game around.
Harro Brouwer, reporter of NOS: "These are are not just fun games..
No, residents are trained to save lives in unpredictable situations with these games..
For instance, I am looking at a patient whit a shotgun injury in the face..
..a very serious injury, in which case the physician has to make an immediate decision to act.
Choosing the right treatment option is vital. In the game, points are scored when doing so.
Dr. Maartje van Haperen, anesthesiologist: "the right answer is a direct tracheostomy..
That is a procedure in which an entrance to the trachea is established, so the patient's airway is secured.
Dr. Marlies Schijven: "I think that is very important to realize, it is not another sort of 'just for fun hospital game'.
Yes, it is a fun to play, but it is in fact a serious game. By playing it as intended you will indeed become a better physician.
"I believe it is very realistic indeed, you have to really focus your attention", according to Martin van Rutten, resident in training.
"But it is still a game not a patient; right?'
Martin: "That is true, but i feel certain skills, maybe even non-technical skills needed in challenging medical situations..
You can train these skills well in another context, such as in the game.
And you may use these improved skills in your daily life as a physician in the hospital.