Collaboration Helps Prepare Frontline Clinicians for Emergency Care

Imagine trying to remember and perform a skill you learned a year ago or even decades ago—like playing an instrument or preparing an old recipe. The task might be challenging. Now, consider having only minutes to remember and perform a critical clinical technique when a patient's life is at stake. For EMTs and emergency physicians, it’s often a reality in high-stakes, non-routine situations.

Carilion Clinic Innovation (CCI) and the Center for Simulation, Research and Patient Safety (CSRPS) are developing advanced high-fidelity training models to help our teams prepare to provide care with confidence and skill in those unique moments.

One such procedure is cricothyrotomy, an emergency airway access technique that occurs in less than 1 of every 200 intubation attempts. Despite its infrequent use, mastering cricothyrotomy is not just important. It’s essential. To maintain proficiency between clinical incidents, high-fidelity simulation training is crucial.

Through a collaborative effort, Robert W. Hedge, CCSRPS simulation education facilitator, and Rob Fippinger, a project consultant on the CCI team, created a sophisticated cricothyrotomy training device. It combines an open-source neck airway model with synthetic skin developed by CCI and CCSRPS.

Earlier this year, Dr. Jacob Smith with the Department of Emergency Medicine showcased the device at the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians 2024 annual conference, providing invaluable hands-on training for emergency physicians.

“At Carilion Innovation, we always seek innovative opportunities that align with Carilion’s 5 Cs. Our collaboration with CCSRPS exemplifies Community and Curiosity, and it’s hard to think of a better way to showcase these values,” says Ryan King, PhD, Innovation manager. “Being in the same building with CCSRPS allows us to continuously collaborate on clinical advances to enhance provider training and ultimately improve patient outcomes.”

“Collaborating with Carilion Innovation to develop high-fidelity training models has been a truly rewarding experience,” says Nate Jones, interim CCSRPS director. “This partnership exemplifies our commitment to advancing medical education and ensuring our healthcare teams have the most effective tools for delivering exceptional patient care.”

The advanced cricothyrotomy training device addresses preparing for high-stakes emergency procedures. It demonstrates interdisciplinary partnerships that enhance healthcare, highlighting how blending innovation with hands-on simulation can help our medical professionals be more prepared and elevate their clinical talents.

For more information, contact Pete Larkin with Communications, Marketing and Planning at pslarkin@carilionclinic.org