An Australian anaesthetist has sparked a global movement #TheatreCapChallenge, encouraging surgical staff to don their names and positions on their scrub caps in an effort to reduce confusion in operating theatres and improve patient safety.
Read MoreOur Managing Director Neil Doyle was recently interviewed by the Word Vietnam for an article published on August 10, 2017. This article explores the seemingly rational or irrational behaviour of decision-making. To view the text in the original format, please click the following link:
http://www.wordvietnam.com/people-culture/the-stories/moments-of-truth
Read MorePokémon, Beanie Babies, Furbies, Tamagotchi, and now fidget spinners? What makes these products ‘go viral’ and why do kids want them so badly? Although there has been a great deal of research in this area, Margo Bergman an economist from the University of Washington suggests that it reflects the tendency of humans to look toward others for information, and this is not limited to just children!
Read MoreNew Zealand, a peaceful country in the South Pacific with relatively high ethnic diversity, is facing a growing number of complaints concerning racial discrimination according to the country’s human rights commission. To curb this trend, they’ve launched a clever campaign to reframe the debate within the country. Watch the campaign video here, featuring Hollywood Director Taika Waititi.
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How can Behavioural Economics be used to benefit your business’s bottom line?
Read MoreA recent study in the US found that sales for vegetables at the Stanford cafeteria jumped 25% when ‘indulgent’ labels were applied. How can you apply similar labels to your healthcare products?
Read MoreThe Hawthorne Effect is a cognitive bias that refers to the idea that people change their behaviour when they are observed. The Zusha campaign in Kenya illustrates how this bias can be leveraged to achieve the desired behavioural change, and in this case, save lives.
Read MoreHow can you nudge your customers in the right direction? To learn more about how policymakers around the globe are utilising nudges, check out this article from the Economist.
Read MoreHow does the appearance of an object impact its likelihood of being recycled? How important are the shapes of trashcans? Can too many recycling bins actually encourage over-consumption? Check out this article for more examples of Behaviour Science in recycling.
Read MoreMedisafe has partnered with pharmaceutical companies to essentially create a ‘glorified alarm clock’ to remind patients when to take their medicine. This mobile platform focuses on adherence tech and uses machine learning to personalize the experience for each user.
Check out the article to learn more.
Read MoreThe ‘Choosing Wisely’ Campaign is led by the ABIM Foundation and Consumer Reports and hopes to cultivate meaningful conversations between clinicians and patients about avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. The threat are cognitive biases that impact clinician decision-making.
Read MoreVending machines have offered convenient access to snacks and beverages, but entrepreneurs around the world are now stocking them with products ranging from cycling helmets in Melbourne to needle exchanges in Las Vegas. This demonstrates an effort to make access to these products easier for consumers.
Check out this article for more unusual vending machines across the globe. http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/02/health/health-vending-machines/index.html
Read MoreA new study published in the journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that when teaching hospitals place restrictions on drug reps, doctors tend to use more generics. While conflicts of interest have long existed in healthcare, this research brings new attention to the impact of the relationships between doctors and drug reps.
Read MoreUber’s company structure differs from others in that it treats its drivers as contracted workers rather than employees. While this reduces its labour costs, it means that Uber cannot dictate hours to its workers. Instead, they must employ a series of behavioural tools to get drivers to work when they want them to work.
Read MoreSometimes a well-intended action does not lead to the desired outcome. Consider the Indian government’s efforts to provide toilets to rural villages. The government built the toilets but people did not use them. This is ultimately failure to conduct proper research before implementing a plan.
Check out this video created by the World Bank about improving sanitation conditions in rural India.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffp8HyHQGsU
Read MorePeople do things that are not always in their best interest. Consider smoking, for example. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you, but many people continue to do it. Why?
Check out this video from the Behavioural Science Guys as they explore why and demonstrate how reframing your approach can lead to unexpected results.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ACi-D5DI6A
Read MoreIs your drug not selling at your ideal level? Wondering how to boost sales? New research suggests that using physician prompts via electronic health records (EHRs) could significantly increase the number of flu vaccinations given.
Read MoreAlthough we have a lot to learn about how our brains process and store memories, we do know that memory is malleable. The brain is a muscle that can be trained. Acronyms and mnemonic devices are tools to improve memory, but new research supports additional methods.
Check out this TEDTalk by Joshua Foer, U.S. World Memory Champion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6PoUg7jXsA
Read MoreWith the increasing use of electronic systems, doctors are often choosing a drug from a drop-down menu. Have you ever thought about how the position of your drug on this list impacts the rate at which it is prescribed? Rational thinking suggests it makes no difference; however, behaviour science says yes!
Read MoreEffective January 1, every French citizen is now an organ donor by default. This is a reversal of the previous policy of opting-in to become an organ donor. If you do not wish to be an organ donor, you may join the “refusal register” online. So far, only 150,000 people have joined this list out of France’s 66 million citizens. Proponents of this change hope it will increase the number of organ donations, as there are significant shortages in both France and the EU.
Enjoy this short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyRJWPWkgtY
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