Franciscan Health installs Immersive Interactive Simulation Room and SimRig Ambulance at Education Center in Greenwood
Franciscan Health recently installed a state-of-the-art simulation room from Immersive Interactive by Echo Healthcare at its Education Center in Greenwood.
A SimRig, which is a replica of the patient compartment/module of an ambulance, was also installed in the Education Center.
A community open house is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Education Center, with demonstrations and tours, as well as the opportunity to talk with the Franciscan Education team.
Immersive Interactive is an advanced simulation technology designed to create realistic virtual learning environments. The system transforms classrooms, simulation spaces, and even mobile units into fully immersive learning environments, including a hospital room.
The system provides the ability to turn multiple rooms into thousands of unique, customizable settings to run simulation scenarios.
“This is a total game-changer for us,” said Josee Harrell, simulation clinical educator at Franciscan Health. “Having these new spaces expands our current simulation and educational ability. We already have a great simulation center and supportive team, but this Immersive Interactive room is only one of three in the state, and the other two are hours away.”
The system can be used as a traditional training environment as well as a physician’s office or various community settings for EMS providers. Learners utilizing the system will benefit from a full sensory experience of sights, sounds, smells, and touch.
“Whether it’s a mass casualty, an OB emergency, or complex medical resuscitation, they get to rehearse teamwork, communication, and critical decision-making,” Harrell said. “With the use of our camera and recording systems, educators and learners also can review actual performance and dramatically increase team and self-reflection. That translates directly into a stronger response in the field and safer care in the communities we serve.”
By offering a safe space to practice complex procedures and emergency responses, the risk of errors in real patient settings is reduced.
“The response has been incredible,” said Harrell. “We’ve noticed that it seems to help reduce anxiety and increase skill retention. We can have you fully immersed in cardiology learning and in the click of a button we can be standing in the middle of a calming beach scene and debriefing what we’ve learned.”
The system can also be used to conduct interactive workshops on various health topics, encouraging active participation from community members and increasing their engagement with health and wellness initiatives.
“Ultimately, patients get better care thanks to these efforts,” said Harrell. “When a patient needs urgent intervention, their team has already ‘been there’ in training. It means faster decisions, smoother teamwork, and better outcomes.”
The opportunity to purchase the Immersive Interactive system came to fruition as part of the Blue Skies Innovation Challenge conducted by the Franciscan Health Foundation. The contest, which involved a multi-step application process, aims to allow employees to compete for funding to bring their improvement ideas into existence.
“Ideas are only as strong as the support behind them, and the Blue Skies Challenge gave me the platform to turn a vision into reality,” said Harrell. “It shows that innovation is valued at Franciscan and that leadership is willing to invest in new ways to train, learn, and improve patient care.”
The Franciscan Education Center is located at 421 North Emerson Ave. in Greenwood.