Maternal hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths, of which 60% are avoidable, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. This is why obstetric simulation is now imperative across medical education and training. To help promote the use of this innovative and educational technology, Health Scholars has developed the first virtual reality simulation for postpartum hemorrhage (in partnership with New York City Health and Hospitals). As part of the company’s labor and delivery suite, this VR application helps build procedural muscle memory, preparing OB staff to be the change in combating maternal death.

According to Health Scholars, governing bodies, such as The Joint Commission, have previously issued compliance directives around increasing staff education with a focus on hemorrhage management. For this reason, the company emphasizes that organizations must take initiative on training opportunities, such as VR simulation, that will mitigate hemorrhage risk and decrease maternal deaths.

There is great value in using virtual reality to train learners in OB / GYN skills. For example, using such artificial intelligence, virtual team members can carry out the commands, making the experience the most immersive, effective VR simulation possible. They can also tap into adaptive learning technology to receive additional scenario content tailored to their in-app performance. The gamification of learning incentivizes and challenges providers to learn from their mistakes, practice regularly, and therefore increase retention and reduce skill decay.

For these reasons, Health Scholars uses experience-based VR simulation to train learners in accordance with hospital guidelines in a risk-free environment. Simultaneously, the company’s application helps establish necessary teamwork and communication skills to assist hospitals in saving hundreds of hours (and potentially millions of dollars with simple scaling across any size organization). Utilizing California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines and an organization’s respective protocols, staff can learn to manage an entire obstetric hemorrhage scenario in just 20 minutes.

The virtual scenarios presented by Health Scholars accurately model the nuanced physical findings that general care providers must detect in order to differentiate severe from non-severe illness. This makes each medical simulation scenario feel both authentic and urgent. According to The VR Advantage, Health Scholars’ highly immersive experience-based learning has led VR learners to become 275% more confident to apply skills after training (The VR Advantage, 2020).

With this resource, healthcare simulation educators will reduce risk, save time and money. Plus, the labor and delivery suite will enable obstetric providers to practice anywhere, anytime, and as often as needed. Health Scholars’ Obstetric Hemorrhage VR application may also help organizations improve health equity and quality care. Patients of color are four times more likely to die of postpartum hemorrhage. (Jayakumaran, Schuster, & Ananth, 2019) Practicing in a risk-free objective environment with diverse patients enables providers to handle any obstetric hemorrhage occurrence.

Learning objectives include being able to demonstrate effective communication with a patient and their family, as well as effective teamwork and communication. Learners will also come to be able to demonstrate timely and accurate intervention and the effective use of a checklist or protocol. Leaders gain peace of mind as providers are building vital teamwork and management skills.

Other overview capabilities include that Health Scholars’ Obstetric Hemorrhage VR Simulation:

  • Models a patient experiencing obstetric hemorrhage in an ultra-realistic birthing and operating room
    environment
  • Utilizes objective feedback to instruct, evaluate, and refine postpartum hemorrhage competencies.
  • Provides learners a readiness score, determined by assessing core competencies.
  • Features Health Scholars’ AI-enabled voice technology.
  • Configurable management to meet your organization’s standards and protocols based on ACOG & CMQCC recommendations.
  • 24/7 accessibility and schedule training software.
  • Turnkey implementation to seamlessly scale across any size organization.
  • Available on the Oculus Quest 2 headset

In addition to Health Scholars’ VR applications, all of the company’s contracts come with Health Scholars’ Readiness Reporting and platform. Health Scholars Readiness Reports make tracking which individuals, teams, divisions, and even entire organizations are ready to handle emergency situations simple. Educators can also find, assess, and easily address skill gaps with objective readiness reports for individuals and entire organizations. Then, administrators can receive objective feedback on learners’ performance through the entire application.

More About Health Scholars

Health Scholars, the leading VR clinical training platform, develops VR simulations with ultra-realistic animation, adaptive learning practices, AI, and voice to deliver simulations with the most immersive and interactive experience a provider can have, next to the real thing. Healthcare professionals use the platform to perfect critical skills and competencies, including communication, teamwork, decision-making, and critical thinking.

At the same time, executives and educators can validate provider competency and leverage detailed analytics to identify skills gaps and optimize training to mitigate risk and help prevent costly sentinel events. With simulation expert and ED physician Dr. Brian Gillett and health tech veteran Scott Johnson leading the charge, Health Scholars aims to improve patient outcomes with transformative VR training solutions. Because the best training isn’t reading or watching. It’s experienced.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the mission of Health Scholars is to lead healthcare simulation through virtualization, making experience-based training scalable, accessible, and affordable to both public health and safety professionals. Health Scholars additionally has clinical and support operations embedded in the world-class Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center on the OSF Healthcare campus in Peoria, Illinois.

Learn More About the Health Scholars Labor & Delivery Suite

Lance Baily Avatar
BA, EMT-B
Founder / CEO
Lance Baily, BA, EMT-B, is the Founder / CEO of HealthySimulation.com, which he started in 2010 while serving as the Director of the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas. Lance also founded SimGHOSTS.org, the world’s only non-profit organization dedicated to supporting professionals operating healthcare simulation technologies. His co-edited Book: “Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Operations, Technology, and Innovative Practice” is cited as a key source for professional certification in the industry. Lance’s background also includes serving as a Simulation Technology Specialist for the LA Community College District, EMS fire fighting, Hollywood movie production, rescue diving, and global travel. He and his wife live with their two brilliant daughters and one crazy dachshund in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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