NCCMMS at I/ITSEC ’25
BOB ARMSTRONG of NCCMMS moderated and participated in the “Future of Healthcare Simulation” panel at the recent Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC). on Tuesday, 2 December 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
The panel included HARU OKUDA, M.D., Associate Vice President, Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice, University of South Florida; JENNIFER MANOS, Executive Director, Society for Simulation in Healthcare; and PAUL PHRAMPUS, M.D. Director, Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education, and Research (WISER), University of Pittsburgh.
Prior to the 2025 International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH), the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) held a Forum titled “Healthcare Simulation 2050: Building a Better Future Together.” The Forum brought together 200 simulation stakeholders from academia, clinics, and academia to brainstorm on the capabilities they felt they would need in the next 25 years.
This I/ITSEC Special Event provided an overview of the findings from the IMSH 2025 Forum, presented by several breakout group leads, with data informed through analysis of the collected data.
Key Takeaways shared by the panelists:
- Standardization of Simulation-Based Training: Many discussions highlighted the need for standardized simulation curricula, credentialing processes, and accreditation frameworks across institutions and professions.
- AI and Emerging Technologies: Artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) are playing an increasing role in simulation-based training, competency assessment, and just-in-time learning. However, ethical considerations and standardization remain challenges.
- Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional Collaboration: Simulation must break down silos across disciplines, institutions, and healthcare systems to improve patient safety, workforce development, and leadership training.
Equity and Access to Simulation: Many discussions emphasized the disparities in simulation access, particularly in rural, underserved, and global healthcare settings. Strategies such as mobile simulation units, multilingual platforms, and virtual learning tools were proposed to expand access. - Financial Sustainability and ROI of Simulation: Institutions and simulation programs struggle with long-term funding and must demonstrate return on investment (ROI) in terms of patient outcomes, workforce readiness, and operational efficiency.
- Psychological Safety and Faculty Development: Many faculty and practitioners are hesitant to engage in simulation-based learning due to psychological safety concerns. Structured faculty development and leadership buy-in are critical for scaling simulation initiatives.
- Simulation for Crisis Management and Patient Safety: Many reports explored how simulation is being used for emergency response training, leadership decision-making, and improving patient safety in complex healthcare environments.