City hospital launches India’s 1st simulation centre for medicos

CHENNAI: A first of its kind post-graduate medical simulation centre opened at Apollo Specialty Hospital, Vanagaram, was inaugurated by Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday.

The centre, said to be the first such in India, is equipped with state-of-the-art, hi-tech, hi-fidelity computerised simulators that would provide hands-on training to postgraduate medical students and also assist practising doctors refine their procedural skills.

The Health Minister noted that the centre would allow students to gain procedural skills and handle critical emergencies such as trauma and pregnancy cases safely.

The essential equipment to simulate medical activities along with adult, paediatric and obstetric mannequins that would do away with the involvement of patients would be provided in the centre. Participants would be guided through technical procedures such as challenging airway management, central line placement and other surgical methods by task-trainers that represent specific anatomical systems.

Dr Muralidharan, Director of Medical Education, Apollo Hospitals, Southern Region, said, “The sophisticated equipment and software can make patient care scenario more challenging by simulating a sudden unexpected complication or reaction to the participant’s intervention.”

He added that it would provide an objective feedback to participants after the simulation and standardise learning experience.