Chicago-based startup Level Ex just announced that it’s joining doctors in the fight against COVID-19 by using video games.
Level Ex builds mobile games that help healthcare providers practice medicine. Being a doctor can be incredibly stressful, so Level Ex allows doctors to practice important skills without putting lives on the line. The company has released several games that mimic real-life specialties. For example, there’s Cardio Ex which gives players challenges based on the world of cardiology. There’s also Pulm Ex, which lets players explore the pulmonary system. The company also released Airway Ex and Gastro Ex for the respiratory system and gastrointestinal system.
As doctors around the world struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, Level Ex figured it would do its part by building COVID-19-related levels into its Pulm Ex and Airway Ex games. These levels give players patient scenarios that mirror real-life COVID-19 challenges. Players can read resources and watch videos to get more information about COVID-19, and then navigate scenarios where patients are dealing with COVID-19 or diseases with similar symptoms.
These levels were built partially thanks to an educational grant Level Ex received from the Johnson & Johnson Institute.
Additionally, these levels are based on actual clinical guidelines, industry recommendations and physician insights. The company also adheres to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization.
“Healthcare providers across specialties are mobilizing to assist with the pandemic, and they may not be totally prepared or have limited critical care experience,” Eric Gantwerker, M.D., VP and medical director at Level Ex, said in a statement. “Level Ex’s new COVID-19 levels grant physicians access to ‘need-to-know’ information quickly as they are thrust into new roles. Learning inside of a game means that they can actively engage with the material and commit it to memory.”
Even if you aren’t a doctor, Level Ex’s games are available to everyone for free on the Google Play store and iOS App Store. Right now, the COVID-19 levels are available on the Pulm Ex and Airway Ex versions for Android devices. The company says these levels are coming to other platforms soon.
