Improving Patient Care: The Role of Effective Simulation

Simulation has transformed medical education and the broader field of healthcare. The previous decades have seen tremendous growth in the adoption and endorsement of simulation-based initiatives, driven in large part by persistent reports of medical error and an emphasis on patient safety. Fortunately, researchers and practitioners are able to draw from the successful implementation of simulation-based methods in similar high-reliability contexts (e.g., aviation, military). Lessons learned have informed the application of simulation for education and training, evaluation and assessment, performance support, innovation and exploration, and system-level culture change.