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Be Prepared: A Pediatric Simulation Center's Early Pandemic Contributions.
Mizue Kishida1, Rodrigo J Daly Guris, AnneMarie Monachino
1From the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (M.K., R.J.D.G., A.M.M., R.H., D.C.B., G.G., M.A.H., K.W., A.D., A.M.A., V.M.N., A.N.); and Perelman School of Medicine (R.J.D.G., A.M.A., V.M.N., A.N.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic spurred simulation centers to increase system-focused simulations, identifying critical hospital-wide issues. Simulation centers proved vital for institutional safety and improvement during the crisis.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Simulation
- Patient Safety
- Hospital Management
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid changes in healthcare delivery, patient care, and staff safety protocols.
- This study examines the role of a children's hospital's simulation center during the initial phase of the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the contributions and impact of a simulation center amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To assess changes in simulation activity and the nature of system-focused simulations before and during the pandemic.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of simulation center activities for two academic years (AY19 and AY20).
- Statistical analyses, including control charts and chi-squared tests, were used to compare simulation data.
- System failure mode taxonomy was applied to analyze outputs of system-focused simulations during the pandemic's first wave.
Main Results:
- Overall simulation event counts remained similar between AY19 and AY20.
- System-focused simulation significantly increased in AY20 (8% vs. 2%), primarily due to COVID-19-related events.
- COVID-19 simulations identified system failures across most categories and were more likely to reveal macro-level issues.
Conclusions:
- The simulation center effectively shifted to provide crucial system-focused simulations during the early pandemic.
- Simulation centers are essential for driving hospital-wide improvements in safety and effectiveness.
