Best Practice Guidelines for Preparing Simulated Patients for Telehealth Simulation

The exponential growth of telehealth in health care, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, has necessitated updates to educational standards including the integration of telehealth competencies in academic curricula to prepare students for technology-enabled clinical practice. Simulation-based experiences (SBEs) are a valuable pedagogical tool for teaching and assessing telehealth skills in safe and controlled virtual learning environments. Simulated or standardized patients (SPs) are an essential component of SBEs for creating high-quality and engaging learning experiences. SPs in telehealth environments must learn to manage technical interfaces, modify communication for virtual interactions, and convey physical ailments without in-person contact. SP educators and teaching faculty have a valuable role in preparing SPs to effectively portray authentic and consistent telehealth roles while navigating technology and maintaining case fidelity. SP educators contribute critical expertise in SP methodology and are essential collaborators in the development, implementation, and evaluation of telehealth simulation programs. Telehealth SBEs have unique considerations, workflows, and technologies that differ from in-person encounters, and the complexities of these differences underscore the critical need for specialized training approaches for creating authentic and effective telehealth simulations. Formal published resources for training SPs in telehealth contexts remain limited. This article provides guidance to support comprehensive simulation programs delivering telehealth education, specifically emphasizing SP methodology for remote settings.