SimX and Laerdal’s groundbreaking collaboration promises to reshape medical training, merging immersive VR experiences with hands-on simulation techniques.
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In the rapidly evolving world of medical simulation, two industry leaders have come together to redefine the future of healthcare training. SimX, a leader in virtual reality (VR) medical simulation, and Laerdal, one of the main players in the healthcare education industry, have kicked off a groundbreaking partnership in Europe. This collaboration promises to revolutionize the way medical professionals are trained, combining the best of both virtual and physical simulation worlds.
The immersive experiences enabled by Virtual Patient Encounter are an additional training method that fits perfectly between skills training and high-fidelity simulations performed with a full-body simulator in a dedicated room, equipped with AV systems and debriefing software. Dr. Tyler Andre, Director of Business Development at SimX encapsulated the essence of this collaboration, stating, «The collaboration with Laerdal shows that learning and training are ideally a continuous and multimodal activity where the students are challenged with different learning approaches and technologies. The integration and close collaboration will ensure that the instructors can base their training on a seamless, integrated curriculum without having to rethink their approach for every different technology they have purchased».
Laerdal, with its rich history and commitment to helping save lives, sees this partnership as a step forward in its mission. The company’s CEO, Alf-Christian Dybdahl, remarked, «Laerdal will always represent a legacy of helping save lives. And to have the biggest impact, we will continuously evolve and utilize immersive solutions (…) Our two organizations have a shared commitment to continuous innovation, like advancing VR simulation, to empower healthcare professionals».
This sentiment was echoed by Martijn Boosman, an experienced innovator in XR for emergency response who recently joined SimX. Reflecting on his vast experience, Boosman noted: «Having been involved in emergency and disaster medical simulation for over 25 years, it is very good to see Laerdal has decided to embrace and expand virtual learning. The SimX solution is a logical next step in Laerdal’s portfolio which has started virtually with their vSim® and vrClinicals® solutions».
The medical community’s feedback has been instrumental in shaping this partnership. There’s been a growing demand for alternative training methods that not only develop but also refine the skills of healthcare professionals. This collaboration is a direct response to that call, aiming to provide a comprehensive training experience that leverages the strengths of both organizations. Another benefit brought about by this cooperation is a huge boost to research on medical simulation; SimX and Laerdal both support and endorse investigation in this field, in order to get a better understanding of the role of simulation-based training in improving quality of training and reducing clinical errors.
The partnership will be formally announced at the ASPiH conference, whose theme this year is ‘Sustainability in Simulation’, aimed at making simulation a more environmentally-conscious and mindful practice. Emily Cutts, Marketing Manager at Laerdal UK stated: «This year’s conference theme has been selected to help all of us focus on becoming more aware of how we develop, use and plan our healthcare simulation services». There could not have been a better occasion to inform the SIM community about this disruptive and forward-thinking collaboration.
The advantages of this collaboration are manifold. By integrating VR into the training process, medical professionals, irrespective of their experience level, can refine their decision-making skills through simulated cases. They can also hone their skills proficiency through efficient and repeatable practice. Dybdahl elaborated on this, saying, «This partnership advances users which we measure through our approach to training, the Circle of Learning. Utilizing virtual reality helps medical professionals of varying experience refine decision-making via simulated cases and build skills proficiency through efficient and repeatable practice».
The strategic vision for this partnership goes beyond just the integration of VR. Dybdahl highlighted the broader goals, stating, «Our strategy is grounded in collaborative initiatives that deliver innovation like this partnership as well as enabling technologies, like the digital solutions we will jointly develop to improve decision-making».
By combining the immersive capabilities of VR with the hands-on experience of traditional simulation, SimX and Laerdal are setting a new benchmark for medical training. This collaboration promises to equip healthcare professionals with the tools, techniques, and experiences they need to excel in their fields and save lives, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and the continued advancement of medical simulation.
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