Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging

Muhammad Ahmed Saeed; Fraser Simpson; Stuart Anderson; Gregor White; Mel Woods; Rodney Mountain

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging

Muhammad Ahmed Saeed^*, Fraser Simpson, Stuart Anderson, Gregor White, Mel Woods, Rodney Mountain

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Serious games offer a dynamic way to communicate complex ideas by integrating education with interactive storytelling. Unlike traditional awareness campaigns, games provide an engaging and participatory approach to learning. This paper investigates the use of serious game design to facilitate public awareness and behavioural change regarding emergency care decision-making. The game utilises interactive and immersive gameplay across multiple scenarios, from seasonal surges to climate-driven events, encouraging users to make informed decisions that can help reduce unnecessary strain on Emergency Departments while supporting healthcare systems’ growing commitment to environmental responsibility and net-zero targets.

This paper discusses the development and potential impact of the game as a tool for fostering a more resilient healthcare system, emphasising the triple-benefit approach to resource optimisation, patient care, and environmental sustainability. By providing an accessible platform for users to engage with complex healthcare challenges, the project seeks to contribute to long-term improvements in emergency care demand management and overall system sustainability in the context of crisis events.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings
Subtitle of host publication	27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I
Editors	Constantine Stephanidis, Margherita Antona, Stavroula Ntoa, Gavriel Salvendy
Place of Publication	Cham
Publisher	Springer
Pages	347–356
Number of pages	10
ISBN (Electronic)	9783031941504
ISBN (Print)	9783031941498
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37
Publication status	Published - 6 Jun 2025
Event	HCI International 2025: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction - Gothia Towers Hotel and Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden Duration: 22 Jun 2025 → 27 Jun 2025 Conference number: 27th https://2025.hci.international/

Publication series

Name	Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS)
Publisher	Springer
Volume	2522
ISSN (Print)	1865-0929
ISSN (Electronic)	1865-0937

Conference

Conference	HCI International 2025: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
Abbreviated title	HCII 2025
Country/Territory	Sweden
City	Gothenburg
Period	22/06/25 → 27/06/25
Internet address	https://2025.hci.international/

Keywords

Serious games
Emergency department (ED)
Proof of concept
Net Zero
Climate change

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

Embargoed Document

Saeed_SeriousGamesInAction_Accepted_2025
Accepted author manuscript, 629 KB
Embargo ends: 30/05/26

Cite this

Saeed, M. A., Simpson, F., Anderson, S., White, G., Woods, M., & Mountain, R. (2025). Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging. In C. Stephanidis, M. Antona, S. Ntoa, & G. Salvendy (Eds.), HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I (pp. 347–356). ( Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS); Vol. 2522). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

Saeed, Muhammad Ahmed ; Simpson, Fraser ; Anderson, Stuart et al. / Serious games in action : rethinking healthcare messaging. HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I. editor / Constantine Stephanidis ; Margherita Antona ; Stavroula Ntoa ; Gavriel Salvendy. Cham : Springer, 2025. pp. 347–356 ( Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS)).

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title = "Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging",

abstract = "Serious games offer a dynamic way to communicate complex ideas by integrating education with interactive storytelling. Unlike traditional awareness campaigns, games provide an engaging and participatory approach to learning. This paper investigates the use of serious game design to facilitate public awareness and behavioural change regarding emergency care decision-making. The game utilises interactive and immersive gameplay across multiple scenarios, from seasonal surges to climate-driven events, encouraging users to make informed decisions that can help reduce unnecessary strain on Emergency Departments while supporting healthcare systems{\textquoteright} growing commitment to environmental responsibility and net-zero targets. This paper discusses the development and potential impact of the game as a tool for fostering a more resilient healthcare system, emphasising the triple-benefit approach to resource optimisation, patient care, and environmental sustainability. By providing an accessible platform for users to engage with complex healthcare challenges, the project seeks to contribute to long-term improvements in emergency care demand management and overall system sustainability in the context of crisis events.",

author = "Saeed, \{Muhammad Ahmed\} and Fraser Simpson and Stuart Anderson and Gregor White and Mel Woods and Rodney Mountain",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG Data availability statement: Not present.; HCI International 2025: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025 ; Conference date: 22-06-2025 Through 27-06-2025",

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Saeed, MA , Simpson, F , Anderson, S , White, G, Woods, M & Mountain, R 2025, Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging. in C Stephanidis, M Antona, S Ntoa & G Salvendy (eds), HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I. Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS), vol. 2522, Springer, Cham, pp. 347–356, HCI International 2025: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Gothenburg, Sweden, 22/06/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging. / Saeed, Muhammad Ahmed ; Simpson, Fraser ; Anderson, Stuart et al.
HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I. ed. / Constantine Stephanidis; Margherita Antona; Stavroula Ntoa; Gavriel Salvendy. Cham: Springer, 2025. p. 347–356 ( Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS); Vol. 2522).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Serious games in action

T2 - HCI International 2025: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction

AU - Saeed, Muhammad Ahmed

AU - Simpson, Fraser

AU - Anderson, Stuart

AU - White, Gregor

AU - Woods, Mel

AU - Mountain, Rodney

N1 - Conference code: 27th

PY - 2025/6/6

Y1 - 2025/6/6

N2 - Serious games offer a dynamic way to communicate complex ideas by integrating education with interactive storytelling. Unlike traditional awareness campaigns, games provide an engaging and participatory approach to learning. This paper investigates the use of serious game design to facilitate public awareness and behavioural change regarding emergency care decision-making. The game utilises interactive and immersive gameplay across multiple scenarios, from seasonal surges to climate-driven events, encouraging users to make informed decisions that can help reduce unnecessary strain on Emergency Departments while supporting healthcare systems’ growing commitment to environmental responsibility and net-zero targets. This paper discusses the development and potential impact of the game as a tool for fostering a more resilient healthcare system, emphasising the triple-benefit approach to resource optimisation, patient care, and environmental sustainability. By providing an accessible platform for users to engage with complex healthcare challenges, the project seeks to contribute to long-term improvements in emergency care demand management and overall system sustainability in the context of crisis events.

AB - Serious games offer a dynamic way to communicate complex ideas by integrating education with interactive storytelling. Unlike traditional awareness campaigns, games provide an engaging and participatory approach to learning. This paper investigates the use of serious game design to facilitate public awareness and behavioural change regarding emergency care decision-making. The game utilises interactive and immersive gameplay across multiple scenarios, from seasonal surges to climate-driven events, encouraging users to make informed decisions that can help reduce unnecessary strain on Emergency Departments while supporting healthcare systems’ growing commitment to environmental responsibility and net-zero targets. This paper discusses the development and potential impact of the game as a tool for fostering a more resilient healthcare system, emphasising the triple-benefit approach to resource optimisation, patient care, and environmental sustainability. By providing an accessible platform for users to engage with complex healthcare challenges, the project seeks to contribute to long-term improvements in emergency care demand management and overall system sustainability in the context of crisis events.

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9783031941498

T3 - Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS)

SP - 347

EP - 356

BT - HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings

A2 - Stephanidis, Constantine

A2 - Antona, Margherita

A2 - Ntoa, Stavroula

A2 - Salvendy, Gavriel

PB - Springer

CY - Cham

Y2 - 22 June 2025 through 27 June 2025

ER -

Saeed MA , Simpson F , Anderson S , White G, Woods M, Mountain R. Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging. In Stephanidis C, Antona M, Ntoa S, Salvendy G, editors, HCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings: 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part I. Cham: Springer. 2025. p. 347–356. ( Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS)). Epub 2025 May 30. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-94150-4_37

Serious games in action: rethinking healthcare messaging

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Embargoed Document

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Cite this