Simulation Validation, Evaluation, and Testing (SimVET)




Mission
To test drive health care solutions with frontline staff in a simulated hospital environment.

Vision
Nothing should touch a Veteran until it has been validated as safe and effective through simulation.

Infographic depicting SimVET as a program with concentric circles. On the outer ring, there are national program offices, the office of acquisition, logistics and construction, the office of information technology and Veteran Integrated service networks and VA medical centers. On the inner ring, there are services: clinical services, support services, patient care services, and quality and patient safety. In the center is the Veteran.

Vetting Health Care Solutions

Simulation Validation, Evaluation, and Testing (SimVET) is an emerging service and innovative model sponsored by the National Simulation Center (NSC). Prior to health care solution acquisition and deployment across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), SimVET test drives clinical software applications and medical devices in a fail-safe simulated clinical environment. This service supports VHA modernization efforts to become a high-reliability organization (HRO) by anticipating risks. SimVET empowers the frontline staff and clinicians who directly provide care to Veterans to be central to the vetting process. This approach greatly reduces the chance for harmful events that result from new health care solution implementation.

By replicating complex care environments such as intensive care units (ICU), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOC) and community living centers (CLC), SimVET develops use case scenarios to analyze health care solutions for usability, patient safety, clinical workflow impact, and technical feasibility. Additionally, SimVET maintains an integrations capability that not only stays abreast of the new technologies, but also ensures that their implementation meets safety, usability, and clinical standards. As one portfolio, SimVET provides software solutions, equipment solutions, and integration work to continuously optimize Veteran care through simulation.

Why Simulation?

Military service members go into harm’s way; our Veterans should not

A woman using virtual reality



From first-hand experience, Veterans understand the critical role that simulation plays.




SimVET ensures that VHA enhances Veteran care and provides excellent patient outcomes through simulation.

Four simulation experts meeting around a high fidelity manikin in a hospital room.

What We Achieve

A stack of cubes

Reproducible Process


A streamlined process for validating, evaluating, and testing health care solutions for usability, patient safety, technical feasibility, and clinical workflow impact

A high fidelity manikin

Simulation Environment


A simulation environment that accurately represents diverse clinical settings in medical centers across the VHA

Doctors in an operating room

High Reliability

Decreased cost, variability, and interoperability challenges to eliminate potential patient safety hazards, minimize clinical workflow disruptions, and better utilize VA resources across health care facilities

Two people analyzing data sheets

Analysis

A Consumer Reports-style analysis for each health care solution that is validated, evaluated, and tested

A man looking at computer servers

Integrations

An integration package to help you get ready for your implementation journey

A large network of computer servers

Repository

A collection of SimVET analysis results readily accessible to the VA enterprise

Our Approach

An infographic depicting a three phase process: Intake, Analysis, Results for SimVET’s approach to analysis. Emerging technologies, clinical optimization, and pre-acquision assessments are looked at my the SimVET Committee Consult. These then are selected and move into the SimVET program. The SimVET Advisory Committee then determines the results with either a SimVET analysis report repository, a sponsor for work, or informing the Veterans health administration community. h

The SimVET model will analyze a variety of health care solutions (e.g., clinical software applications and medical equipment/devices) through examining usability, impact on clinical workflow, patient safety, and technical feasibility. The SimVET model will produce a Consumer Reports-style analysis including pros and cons, relevant comparisons, unique advantages, patient safety risks, and end-user recommendations. This final report is intended to inform acquisition decisions throughout the enterprise. In short, SimVET allows the VHA to test drive health care solutions before they reach Veterans and clinical end-users. The criteria for health care solution analysis will be based on priorities from leadership in the VHA, VISN, or VA Medical Center (VAMC) levels. Additionally, recommendations from the VHA program offices or other stakeholders, such as staff and Veterans, will be considered for health care solution analysis. To ensure the solution can work in the VHA environment, technical requirements will be tested through our robust integrations capability. Frontline clinical staff will then seamlessly conduct live scenarios in a realistic, simulated hospital environment, applying these new health care solutions in the workflows for patient care and other Veteran-facing services.

Let's Connect!

Email us with any questions or inquiries. We would be happy to answer your questions.

Academia, VA offices, and other government entities:

SimVETSupport@va.gov

Looking to work with us? Vendors, industry partners, and solution providers:
Pathfinder