"Tell me, and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand."                          -Confucius, 450 BC

Patient Care, the most critical function of a healthcare professional, necessitates a provider to possess both expertise and confidence in order to provide the best management. The Department of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital has set a new educational benchmark with the opening of the STRATUS Patient Simulation Center.

The STRATUS (Simulation, Training, Research and Technology Utilization System) is dedicated to improving the quality and delivery of healthcare teaching teamwork and clinical decision-making utilizing simulation technology, medical education along with clinical and educational research. The STRATUS Center for Medical Simulation, employing simulation technology, medical education, teamwork development, along with clinical education and research, is dedicated to improving the quality and delivery of healthcare for providers at all levels.

Whether performing intricate surgery, treating a victim at an accident scene, or resuscitating a patient in an intensive care unit, one needs to have the ability to efficiently assess patients and perform multiple complex tasks…with the expectation that everything will be done correctly the first time.

At any time you may be presented with a challenging case - some that occur so infrequently that your only prior exposure is through reading or past education. It doesn't matter to the patient. You must be able to respond with both expertise and confidence. The mission of the Center is to support the Brigham and Women's Hospital's educational mission through the use of real-time interactive simulation systems and to improve the skill level of health-care providers through the use of technology-based simulation training, assessment and treatment.

The STRATUS Center makes extensive use of state-of-the-art, computer controlled patient simulation systems, computer based simulation and independent task trainers. The simulation center boasts two training suites, a equipped operating room, a laparoscopic/endoscopic/bronchoscopic virtual reality arcade, a  microsimulation laboratory and a task oriented skill lab. Advanced AV equipment allows digital video taping of simulation cases for debriefing.

The STRATUS Center was designed to ensure that one has the necessary expertise each time one encounters a challenging medical situation. Our simulators are programmed to replicate a multitude of scenarios - from the difficult airway, to the management of complicated multi-system failure; situations that we just don't see every day. STRATUS enables you to practice the necessary skills, enabling you to respond with confidence, as if you were presented with these situations daily.

By incorporating real-time, interactive simulation systems, STRATUS enables the healthcare professional to experience realistic patient scenarios, where the patient actually responds to actions taken or omitted. This instant cause and effect allows critical assessment of your actions. Talk about building confidence!

Whether you work in a hospital or in the prehospital arena, whether you are new to the profession or have decades of experience, STRATUS is here to meet your needs. We invite you to take a closer look and see for yourself.