Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/220800
ts (Clockwise from right) Lisa Barker, clinical assistant professor of surgery and an emergency medicine physician, performs a simulated central line procedure with Felix Huang, MD '13; a group of students use interprofessional training for teamwork in an angiography suite; gathered to celebrate the opening of the Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center in Peoria are (from left) University of Illinois President Robert Easter, College of Medicine Dean Dimitri T. Azar, UIC Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares, UI Urbana-Champaign Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Ilesanmi Adesida, and Peoria Regional Dean Sara Rusch. researchers, physicians with hands-on virtual experiences wouldn't have been prepared to act so quickly." Abraham Hafiz Rodriguez, MD, was a second-year medical student when he underwent a blue alert simulation—responding to a patient in cardiac arrest. In the first two weeks of his third year, while on a rotation of internal medicine, he experienced the real thing. "I did what I was supposed to do: I went into the room, looked around to see what I could help with—and I felt very comfortable in that situation despite the high amount of stress involved," Rodriguez recalls, who took over chest compressions for a person who was quickly tiring. "I really have no doubt in my mind that had I not had that simulation experience, I would not have stepped in and done as good a job [reacting so quickly] trying to save that person's life." Innovative curriculum using simulation is being developed at Jump to enhance communication skills, leadership, knowledge and competency to ensure the best practices are taught across all disciplines, with the goal of building a shared library of curricular resources accessible to all users. Jump will be a training and testing ground for research and development of new procedures and medical devices. Clinicians collaborate with engineers to solve clinical problems, develop and patent new devices, and produce new simulators to address clinical demands. Jump provides simulated clinical space to improve new and existing medical equipment. "The first steps taken by pre-hospital care providers have a direct impact on patient outcomes and the diverse environment we offer at Jump gives learners across many professions a realistic experience for learning and to ensure the highest level of performance," said John Vozenilek, MD, Jump's executive director and chief medical officer. Already, several projects are under way, including construction of an abdominal examination trainer, a simulated foot to practice tapping a gouty toe, and a simulator that will help identify potentially life-threatening circulation loss. Also a research and training project is looking at how residents learn and practice inserting a central venous catheter. Jump's goal is to improve patient outcomes while also lowering health care costs. If simulation training lowers infections from central lines, that produces a savings to the provider, insurer and patient—both in terms of cost and suffering. If simulation training improves communication skills so patients are more likely to follow after-care instructions and avoid hospital readmissions, that creates additional savings as well as better health. If Jump, a virtual hospital, can create a new process that speeds operating room preparation for the next patient, that means savings. Jump is accomplishing these goals and more—and in doing so, the facility will attract a whole new wave of students, physicians and health care professionals to Peoria to conduct research, teach and provide additional patient care. David Haney is the director of strategic communications for the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. illinois medicine | 19