Partnership Announced Between Medical Simulation Corp. And University Of South Florida

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery;  IT / Internet / E-mail;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 13 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Medical Simulation Corporation (MSC) announces a new partnership with the University of South Florida (USF) to provide simulation training and education services for USF Health hospital partners and for local and national health professionals seeking continuing medical education. The MSC SimSuite Education Center is located at Tampa General Hospital, a major teaching affiliate of USF Health.

"MSC is excited to partner with USF Health to offer its hospital affiliate team members and other health professionals new opportunities to enhance their skills in a risk-free environment," says Bill Younkes, MSC President and CEO. "Our SimSuite Education System provides a broad spectrum of tools to help USF Health advance its commitment to patient safety, high-quality care and excellence in education."

The 2,800-square-foot Center, includes several types of virtual patient simulators and a full-time coordinator to oversee all programmed simulator training scenarios. The technology can be used to recreate anatomy and clinical functions such as respiration; to teach basic techniques like cardiopulmonary resuscitation, intubation and tying surgical knots; to practice endovascular and cardiac catheterization procedures; and to hone surgical skills, particularly for laparoscopic and minimally-invasive surgeries.

"At USF Health we are transforming the way we educate the next generation of health professionals and challenging the way we practice healthcare," said Stephen Klasko, MD, MBA, CEO for USF Health and Dean of the College of Medicine. "The new SimSuite Education Center fits in with our creation of an innovative curriculum that strives for excellence in clinical skills development, with the goal of promoting patient safety and preventing medical errors."

"A wide range of health professionals will have access to all sorts of high-level, virtual reality simulators designed to give them the sensation of touch when working on such skills as intubation, central line placement and endoscopy," said Deborah Sutherland, PhD, Associate Dean of the nationally prominent USF Health Continuing Professional Development Program. "The training scenarios can mimic the potential unpredictability of patient outcomes as care unfolds."

The USF Health SimSuite Education Center offers courses for all levels of healthcare professionals, including medical students, resident physicians, fellows, attending physicians, nurses, therapists and technologists. SimSuite courses provide hands-on training using best demonstrated practices to improve both cognitive decision making and technical skills. Course offerings include a highly-efficient Advanced Cardiac Life Support recertification program and curriculum for providers working in vascular surgery, cardiology, interventional cardiology and radiology, general surgery; and emergency, critical care and general medicine units.

The SimSuite curriculum features Quality Initiative Programs that are designed to help USF hospital partners meet and exceed national patient safety goals set by several reporting and regulatory organizations. The SimSuite Sepsis, Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia and Central Line Infection and Management Programs focus on early identification and effective treatment of these widely recognized and costly conditions to improve the confidence and competence of all healthcare providers.

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About USF Health

USF Health is dedicated to creating a model of health care based on understanding the full spectrum of health. It includes the University of South Florida's colleges of medicine, nursing, and public health; the schools of biomedical sciences as well as physical therapy & rehabilitation sciences; and the USF Physicians Group. With more than $360 million in research grants and contracts last year, USF is o ne of the nation's top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged, four -year public universities designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit http://www.health.usf.edu

About Medical Simulation Corporation

Medical Simulation Corporation (MSC) is the recognized healthcare industry leader in providing full- service simulation training and education services to healthcare personnel, medical societies a nd medical product manufacturers. MSC's patient safety solutions are designed to strengthen the competence and confidence™ of nurses, physicians and technologists. Because real-life clinical scenarios are simulated, no patients are at risk while healthcare professionals advance their technical and cognitive skills. For more information about MSC, visit http://www.medsimulation.com.

Source: Heidi Curran
University of South Florida Health

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