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1. Using Virtual World Technology to
Deliver Effective, Efficient and
Inexpensive Health Improvement
Programs
Peter Mills. MD
September 17, 2010

2. Aim
• To give you a better understanding of the
relatively new area of virtual worlds and how
they have the potential to augment existing
approached to health promotion.

3. Background – Who Am I?
• UK based physician
• Co-founder of vielife (acquired by
CIGNA 2006)
• Founded HealthyWorlds 2009 to
explore use of virtual worlds in
healthcare

4. Context
• The business case for investing in workplace
or insurer funded health programs is proven.
• However, in today’s economic environment,
the challenge is to maintain momentum and
improve existing health promotion programs
while reducing costs.

5. Employer sponsored Health &
Well-being Programs Work
• Presence of health risk factors predict future healthcare costs.
(Pronk et al. 1999: JAMA)
• Changes in health risk status associated with significant
changes in healthcare costs
(Edington et al. 1997: JOEM)
• Return on Investment from medical costs alone 4.56 to 1
(Ozminkowski et al. 1999: AJHP)
• Fewer absence days in worksite health promotion
participants with ROI 2.3 to 1
(Schultz et al. 2002: JOEM)
• 10% increase in productivity and ROI of 6.2 to 1.
(Mills et al. 2007; AJHP)

6. Employer sponsored Health &
Well-being Programs
Paper On Site Telephone
Online

7. Employer sponsored Health &
Well-being Programs

8. Web 2.0
User generated content, social networking, gaming and
collaboration

9. Virtual Worlds

10. The SIMS – A Virtual World
• PC game virtual world launched 2000
• Limited in what could be done
• Originally no connection with other (single
player game)

11. Second Life – A Virtual World
• 3-dimensional virtual world
• Launched in 2003
• Created by Linden Research Inc (SF
headquartered, venture capital backed)
• 20 million residents (900% growth in last 18
months)
• “In-world” currency: L$
• 18-44 years age range (35% in the 25-34 years
group)
“By 2011 80% of internet users will have a virtual world
avatar” Gartner Research 2008.

12. OpenSIM – A Virtual World
• Open Source 3D virtual world
• Many of the same features as Second Life
• Like many open source projects many
developers working for free with a
community of enthusiasts
• Gaining popularity over last 12 months
“By 2011 80% of internet users will have a virtual world
avatar” Gartner Research 2008.

16. Already an active environment for
learning, selling and entertainment

17. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 1:
Register, Create
Avatar & Download
Software

18. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 2:
Attend “in-world”
seminars & events

19. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 2:
Attend “in-world”
seminars & events

20. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 2:
Attend “in-world”
seminars & events

21. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 3:
Engage in self
directed learning
modules

22. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 3:
Engage in self
directed learning
modules

23. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 4:
Informally meet with
others like you in the
communal areas

24. How ‘HealthyWorlds’ Works
Step 5:
Separate secure
branded areas for
your employees.

25. Key Attributes
• Real time ‘Peer to Peer’ Communication & Social
Networking
• ‘Always On’, no time dependence
• Confidential and secure
• Global access from desk/home/workplace
• Immersive and interactive environments
• Controlled and private ‘Members Only’ community
• Anonymous so well suited to dealing with ‘personal’
issues
• Access to low cost, highly trained practitioners

26. Virtual Worlds
Asynchronous Real time
Paper Email Web Blogs IM/Chat Phone Face-to-face
Virtual World
Isolated Shared
Web Phone Email Blogs IM/Chat Webcast Face-to-face
Virtual World

27. A number of applications of virtual
world technology in health care
CIGNA/vielife Visualization of Health Schizophrenia Experience
Delivery of Nutrition seminars Care provision, UK 2008
Virtual Hospital - Simulated Patients Diabetes Education, Boston
Imperial College: International Virtual
University Medical School
Association of Surgeons, Apr 2008
Sources: Cigna, vielife, Imperial College London, BBC

29. Further Reading
Guardian Newspaper (August 2010)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/a
ug/22/discover-virtual-worlds-revolution
Occupational Health Magazine (February 2010)
http://bit.ly/9wPqE6

30. Thank-you
peter@healthyworlds.com
HealthyWorlds
http://bit.ly/healthyworlds
twitter.com/healthyworlds