January 18, 2024By Teresa Gore

CAE Healthcare Harnesses 80/20 Principle for Efficient Simulated Clinical Experiences

In the world of healthcare simulation, where the goal is to provide learners with immersive and realistic clinical scenarios, CAE Healthcare (which was recently acquired by Madison Industries) uses the 80/20 rule to take center stage. This rule suggests that while numbers may vary, many (“80%”) of simulation scenarios can be effectively covered using just a limited number (ie “20%”) of Simulated Clinical Experiences (SCEs). This suggests that quality over quantity of scenarios matters. This HealthySimulation.com CAE Healthcare supported article will explore how to use the 80/20 rule to harness efficiency in Simulated Clinical Experiences. Stop by CAE Healthcare booth #200 at the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) 2024 meeting this weekend in San Diego to see CAE Healthcare simulator tools in person!

The Most Common Simulated Clinical Experiences

The concept behind the 80/20 rule implies that a relatively small set of SCEs can address a substantial portion of the training needs across various simulation centers, including those in nursing and medical schools. The SCEs that make up 80% become the cornerstone, the “base set,” upon which healthcare simulation programs can be built. However, this rule does not apply universally to every center.


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CAE Healthcare identified twenty of the most common SCEs after surveying key customers. These twenty scenarios span different sectors, encompassing essential clinical situations and training needs. They include scenarios related to cardiovascular issues, respiratory problems, trauma, metabolic challenges, and more. For instance, frequently used scenarios might involve chest pain, myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, cardiac arrest, and post-arrest care. These scenarios represent both common and critical clinical challenges that healthcare professionals must be prepared to address. They will be used in many simulation centers.


View the LEARN CE/CME Platform Webinar Setting Up Your Healthcare Simulation Center for Learner Success with CAE Healthcare to learn more!


As healthcare educators, efficiency in building competency is at the forefront. Looking at the 80% offers a strategic perspective that can significantly streamline the process and enhance the overall educational experience for learners. After all, simulation manikins are just manikins until they are put into action through carefully designed scenarios.

Empowering Educators with Pre-Build Scenarios


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Now, as healthcare educators strive for efficiency, imagine if they did not have to start from scratch every time new equipment comes in. Imagine having access to a library of pre-built scenarios that cover most of their training needs. Those 80% are the building blocks of educators. They provide a strong foundation that gives them the flexibility to construct comprehensive and realistic simulations tailored to their learner’s needs. With CAE Healthcare, those common scenarios are fully developed and backed by extensive research, clinical expertise, subject matter expert reviews, and educational best practices.

This approach brings unparalleled efficiency. Pre-built scenarios eliminate the need for educators to create simulations from scratch, allowing them to focus on teaching, just fine-tuning scenarios and learning objectives. Standardized SCEs ensure consistent, high-quality training experiences for all learners, while rigorous quality assurance processes guarantee authenticity and relevance. In turn, learners benefit from exposure to a wide range of scenarios, preparing them for both common and critical clinical challenges they may encounter.

Crafting Specialized Scenarios

While the 80/20 approach to content authoring provides a robust foundation for healthcare simulation scenarios, one must equally consider the importance of the remaining 20%. These scenarios encompass unique, specialized, and complex clinical situations that often demand custom crafting to meet precise learning objectives. These can range from rare medical conditions to highly specific clinical challenges that demand tailored solutions. As educators, the task at hand is to create these specialized scenarios that resonate with the unique needs of learners. Providing the opportunity for learners to grapple with the complexities and nuances of rare or challenging clinical situations, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed

to excel in their future healthcare careers or continuing education.

Content Authoring Simplified

To address the need for specialized scenarios, SimCreate by CAE Healthcare is not just a tool but a solution designed to simplify the creation of that essential 20% of scenarios that go beyond the core set. SimCreate recognizes that building these scenarios from scratch can be a time-consuming and challenging task for educators. SimCreate is a powerful platform that empowers educators to design, customize, and implement specialized scenarios efficiently. SimCreate provides a user-friendly interface and a wealth of features that simplify the content authoring process.

This allows for the seamless customization of scenarios to align with specific educational objectives, covering rare medical conditions, complex procedures, and unique clinical challenges. Additionally, SimCreate offers access to a scenario marketplace filled with expert-crafted scenarios, streamlining content creation. SimCreate integrates seamlessly with standardized patients, enhancing scenario realism and interactions. Furthermore, educators benefit from valuable data and analytics capabilities for performance assessment and continuous scenario improvement.

Balancing Common and Specialized SCEs

In the dynamic world of healthcare simulation, the 80/20 rule offers invaluable insights into optimizing educational effectiveness. While not a one-size-fits-all principle, the 80/20 rule underscores the significance of a well-balanced approach. The 80% – comprising common, high-impact scenarios – serves as the foundation for robust educational experiences, and the 20% is equally as critical, where specialized scenarios challenge and prepare learners for the intricacies of healthcare. SimCreate by CAE Healthcare emerges as an empowering solution, simplifying the creation of these vital specialized scenarios. Together, this balance ensures that learners receive a comprehensive and impactful healthcare education, equipping them for the challenges of the real-world healthcare landscape.



More About CAE Healthcare

CAE Healthcare is among world leaders in developing cutting-edge healthcare simulation learning tools for today’s professional healthcare providers. The company strives to deliver educational tools that best help healthcare professionals provide safe, high-quality patient care. CAE Healthcare has an extraordinarily vast area of simulated products ranging from manikins, interventional and imaging systems, and AV recording debriefing / Learning Management Systems.

CAE announced the sale of its CAE Healthcare division to Madison Industries, with the transaction expected to close at the end of fiscal 2024. As one of the leading healthcare simulation manufacturers in the global industry, this is huge news for healthcare simulation champions around the world. Marc Parent, President and CEO of CAE, shared that “we believe Madison Industries is well positioned to support the future growth of the Healthcare business, which will continue to focus on evolving simulation to drive patient safety and quality outcomes.”

Again, by sure to stop by CAE Healthcare booth #200 at the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) 2024 meeting this weekend in San Diego to see CAE Healthcare simulator tools in person!

Learn More About CAE Healthcare!


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