In early August, the cutting-edge capabilities of iEXCEL will be on full display when UNMC hosts the SimGHOSTS 2023 USA conference.
The conference is a gathering of health care simulation professionals from around the nation and world. UNMC expects approximately 300 medical simulation professionals to attend the event, which will be held Aug. 1-4.
Pamela Boyers, PhD, associate vice chancellor of clinical simulation at UNMC, is excited by the 14-year-old organization’s decision to select the Davis Global Center and UNMC campus in Omaha as the host site this year.
See the SimGhosts23 Conference Program.
“It’s definitely an honor for iEXCEL to have been selected,” she said, adding that attendees consist of an interdisciplinary group — collectively termed “medical simulationists.” They include, for example, nurses, emergency responders, AV/IT technicians, artists, scientists and others, who collaborate with clinicians to create advanced simulation activities and scenarios. Attendees also will include leaders and supporters of simulation, as well as sponsors, who will be demonstrating the newest simulation technologies.
“Simulation technology is advancing all the time, so we’re very likely to see cutting-edge simulation technologies, software and equipment,” Dr. Boyers said. “Everything from task trainers to advances in human patient and virtual simulators.”
She praised the staff at iEXCEL for working to bring the conference to Omaha, noting that many members of the iEXCEL team will be featured speakers at the event. Workshops include topics such as simulation methodologies, including trauma moulage demonstrations, breakout sessions on ballistic gel skills, designing 3D objects, engagement of standardized patients, capturing data and other topics of interest to the medical simulation community.
“The theme of the conference is ‘iDiscover, iExplore, iExcel – Together,’”Dr. Boyers said. “There will be a lot of ideas shared between attendees both during and outside the sessions. Attendees will be able to see and experience the many advances in simulation methods as they learn how to adopt and apply them.
“It’s a dynamic conference with a lot of opportunity for engagement, and we anticipate new frontiers will be explored.”
The presentations and workshops are especially meaningful for health care, in that they form the basis for continuously advancing patient safety, as well as the safety of those learning how care for patients, she said. For example, the keynote speakers – Mike Eisenberg, director of “To Err Is Human: A Patient Safety Documentary,” and Desiree Diaz, PhD, president-elect of the International Nursing Association for Clinical and Simulation Learning — are top-notch simulation advocates in the area of preventing medical errors.
Dr. Boyers said she and the iEXCEL team hope the conference participants, who will be coming from around the nation and globe, have great experiences at the event. “We’re looking forward to showing off Omaha,” she said. “The amazing iEXCEL team is especially excited to showcase the capabilities of iEXCEL.”
She credits the iEXCEL staff for the organization’s decision to offer UNMC’s campus the opportunity for SimGHOSTS to hold its event in Omaha.
“The true energy behind hosting the conference at UNMC came from the iEXCEL leaders,” she said. “Ben Stobbe, Michael Hollins, Jenni Bouckhuyt and Elisabeth Barrett, as well as so many of the iEXCEL team who are either presenting at or helping organize this conference. They have put their heart and soul —and incredible energy — into ensuring this is a wonderful, educational experience for all attendees.”