Zurich – Hypertension is the number one population disease in Switzerland. However, counteracting this and increasing awareness of the topic does not have to be a depressing undertaking. By means of gamification, ‘Riva Digital GO’ aims to encourage the Swiss population to move more and thereby improve blood pressure levels. The app is launched by dacadoo and the association Riva Digital. Both organizations promote a healthy lifestyle through digital solutions.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a widespread disease in Switzerland. It is estimated that a quarter of the Swiss population has an elevated value – often without knowing it, because high blood pressure is usually not accompanied by complaints. Over the years, however, high levels of blood pressure damage the body, especially important organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys and blood vessels. But there is light at the end of the tunnel: everyone can do something to lower their blood pressure and thus prevent illnesses.
The key to normal blood pressure is having a healthy lifestyle and that includes physical activity. That’s why dacadoo and Riva Digital today launch ‘Riva Digital GO’, a location-based step app that turns walking into an interactive game. Users are encouraged to walk to selected places in Switzerland to collect virtual objects.
Peter Ohnemus, Founder and CEO of dacadoo, comments: “We are proud to be working with Riva Digital and are pleased to be able to contribute with Riva Digital GO in order to encourage the Swiss people with a playful approach to being healthier and have fun at the same time. “
In order to additionally integrate the blood pressure aspect into the game, another partner of Riva Digital cooperated: all TopPharm pharmacies in Switzerland will be marked on the virtual map of Riva Digital GO. There, players can directly measure their blood pressure. The fact that many Swiss people do not have a professional blood pressure monitor at home is thereby solved with an uncomplicated solution.
Thomas Guggi, member of the Executive Board of Riva Digital and Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon at Schulthess Clinic, adds: “We are delighted to launch the dacadoo-developed Riva Digital branded steps app, which should motivate our community to move more and therefore to do so can help reduce blood pressure. The simplicity, the gaming factor and the playful elements of the app are central and we are convinced that the app will not only be interesting for the ‘gamer’.”
Riva Digital GO App can be downloaded for free on GooglePlay and Apple AppStore.
About Riva Digital
The association Riva Digital aims to promote digital health solutions that increase the health literacy of the population. In particular, the sensitivity for the topic of blood pressure should be increased in order to reduce the high blood pressure as common disease number 1 in Switzerland. Under the motto “Joining forces against high blood pressure,” Riva Digital is initiating initiatives with more than 40 partners to achieve this goal. A key initiative is the Riva App, which allows one to monitor one’s own blood pressure with a mobile phone. As part of the digitalswitzerland Challenge, the club has set itself an ambitious goal:
«We bet …
to create a digital ecosystem by 12 September 2017,
that activates more than 100,000 people by April 1, 2018,
who lower their blood pressure by April 1, 2019. »
The first two goals have been achieved. For the third step, the Riva App is central, because by using the app you automatically become part of the bet. Riva App on GooglePlay and Apple AppStore.
Verein Riva Digital: Färberstrasse 6, 8008 Zürich – info@rivadigital.ch – www.rivadigital.ch
About dacadoo
dacadoo is a global technology company and innovative business partner that is driving the digital transformation in healthcare. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, dacadoo develops and operates a mobile-first digital health engagement platform that helps people live healthier, more active lives through a combination of motivational techniques from behavioral science, online gaming and social networks, as well as artificial intelligence and automated coaching. Based on over 300 million person-years of clinical data, its patented, real-time Health Score makes health individually measurable, which provides users with a unique engagement experience. Available in over 13 languages, dacadoo’s technology is provided as a fully branded, white-label solution or it can be integrated into customer products through its API. More: www.dacadoo.com. Media contact: manuel.heuer@dacadoo.com
“We are proud to be working with Riva Digital and are pleased to be able to contribute with Riva Digital GO in order to encourage the Swiss people with a playful approach to being healthier and have fun at the same time.”
Peter Ohnemus, founder and CEO of dacadoo
“We are delighted to launch the dacadoo-developed Riva Digital branded steps app, which should motivate our community to move more and therefore to do so can help reduce blood pressure. The simplicity, the gaming factor and the playful elements of the app are central and we are convinced that the app will not only be interesting for the ‘gamer’.”
Thomas Guggi, member of the Executive Board of Riva Digital
