Misconception – The remarkable medical scientific advances are rapidly made available to the care delivery system.

We should so hope but often that it is just not the case.

Laparoscopic surgery took medicine by storm 20 years ago but some new technologies of great value are slow to be adopted, such as simulation for teaching procedures rather than learning by practicing on the patient. Sometimes it is because the old way is “the way we have always done it” and sometimes it is because those holding the purse strings just do not appreciate the underlying value. Laparoscopic surgery got patients out of the hospital faster with fewer sequela and was endorsed by surgeon, patient and administrator alike.

Simulation – although it will markedly improve safety and quality and even shorten training times – is often perceived as just a “cost” by hospital executives and hence not worthy of investment.

Simulation was key to saving the US Airways plane last January. The captain had practiced landing with no power multiple times in the company simulator. That was crucial since there was no time 3000 feet above New York City to pull out the manual and read up on what to do. Simulation has come late to medicine but now there are many new technologies to teach students, residents and even expert physicians and surgeons. Everything from practicing drawing blood [instead of practicing on your classmate], to using an endoscope for colonoscopy [instead of learning on a patient], to very sophisticated approaches to surgery for the experienced practioneer. This is a revolutionary change in medical education and training and a very disruptive technology. It means that the trainee does not “practice” on a patient until he or she has proven competent on the simulator. For some this might take many trial runs; for others it might be much easier to master. No matter, the test is competency; not “how many times did you practice?” As a patient, you might want to know if the surgical resident assisting the attending surgeon has completed his simulation requirements; don’t be afraid to ask. And for the hospital executive, it is worth noting that simulation can actually shorten the training time required since the simulator is always available whereas the “right” patient may not be admitted until next week or later. And it means much improved patient safety since no one gets to touch a patient until competency has been demonstrated; safer care saves a lot of money.

Simulation is coming but still not fast enough given its value to trainee and patient alike.