Gamification for Hospital Mobility Improvement

(Level Up Trial)

Overseen By Kirstin Manges, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Disqualifiers: Inability to consent, No smartphone, Low AMPAC, Others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 5 days

150 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

Low mobility is a mediator for poor outcomes of hospital care. Wearable devices will be used and 2-way texting via patient smartphones to monitor patients' physical activity during hospitalization with and without gamification to improve patient adherence to existing guidance on recommended activity. After discharge, investigators will assess patient care utilization (SNF, inpatient vs home rehab, ED visits, readmission) and conduct validated surveys on patient function at 30 days after discharge.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on monitoring physical activity, so it's likely you can continue your medications, but you should confirm with the study team.

Is gamification generally safe for use in healthcare settings?

There is no specific safety data available for gamification in healthcare settings from the provided research articles. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the gamification treatment for hospital mobility improvement differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it uses gamification (applying game-like elements) to motivate and engage patients in improving their mobility during hospital stays, which is different from traditional physical therapy methods that do not incorporate game-based strategies. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Gamification Intervention for hospital mobility improvement?

Gamification has been shown to effectively engage and motivate both patients and healthcare professionals, leading to improved health-related behaviors and outcomes. For example, gamification strategies have successfully reduced severe sepsis mortality by motivating clinicians to adopt better care practices, and have increased patient engagement in health behaviors during surgery recovery. ^{1 5 6 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Ryan Greysen, MD, MHS, MA

Principal Investigator

University of Pennsylvania

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for hospital patients aged 50 or older with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or obesity. They must be able to consent, have daily access to a smartphone (or use one provided), and not be in another activity study. Their mobility scores should indicate they can safely do physical activities.

Inclusion Criteria

I can move around well enough on my own.

I am currently admitted to a hospital's medicine or cardiology department.

I am 50 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

I don't use a smartphone daily and am not willing to use one provided for the study.

I may need help with moving around due to my low mobility scores.

Are already enrolled in another physical activity study

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

Treatment

Participants are monitored for physical activity using a Fitbit watch during hospitalization, with gamification intervention for the experimental group

5 days

Inpatient stay

Follow-up

Participants' physical activity and functional status are assessed post-discharge, with data collection continuing for 30 days

30 days

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Gamification Intervention

Trial Overview The study tests if adding game-like elements (gamification) to monitoring devices increases patient movement in the hospital. It compares regular guidance with enhanced gamified feedback using wearables and texting, then tracks post-discharge health care use and function.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Gamification Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be recruited during an inpatient stay and given a Fitbit watch that will transmit data to the Way to Health study platform. Intervention patients will receive daily text messages to help them set goals, receive feedback and support on their progress towards daily goals, and receive points for daily goals achieved. Data will continue to be collected for 30 days after discharge.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will be recruited during an inpatient stay and given a Fitbit watch that will transmit data to the Way to Health study platform. Control participants' steps will be passively monitored. Data will continue to be collected for 30 days after discharge.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pennsylvania

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A qualitative study involving caregivers of pediatric patients revealed that a game-based strategy effectively engaged parents in understanding and promoting patient safety actions.

The game not only facilitated knowledge transfer about patient safety but also positively changed caregivers' perceptions and behaviors, encouraging them to be more active participants in their child's care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ludic strategy for promoting engagement of parents and caregivers in the safety of pediatric patients. Gonçalves, KMM., Costa, MTTCA., Silva, DCB., et al.[2021]

Digital health interventions, such as mobile apps and electronic health records, can enhance patient safety for children and their parents by providing preventive measures and risk management strategies, as identified in a scoping review of 13 studies.

These interventions can improve the continuity of care from hospitalization to home, thereby increasing children's safety and quality of care through better engagement with healthcare providers after discharge.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Digital health intervention on patient safety for children and parents: A scoping review. Park, J., Jeon, H., Choi, EK.[2023]

Citations

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A gamified mobile health intervention for children in day surgery care: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. [2022]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identified opportunities for gamification in the elective primary fast-track total hip and knee arthroplasty journey: Secondary analysis of healthcare professionals' interviews. [2020]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gamification as a strategy to engage and motivate clinicians to improve care. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identified gamification opportunities for digital patient journey solution during an arthroplasty journey: secondary analysis of patients' interviews. [2022]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How can information systems provide support to nurses' hand hygiene performance? Using gamification and indoor location to improve hand hygiene awareness and reduce hospital infections. [2018]

6. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ludic strategy for promoting engagement of parents and caregivers in the safety of pediatric patients. [2021]

7. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Evidence-Based Serious Game App for Public Education on Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial. [2023]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Digital health intervention on patient safety for children and parents: A scoping review. [2023]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Motivations and barriers to engagement with a technology-enabled community wide physical activity intervention. [2020]

10. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying Game Thinking to Slips, Trips and Falls Prevention. [2018]