UNM's Health Sciences Center is helping develop technology for the medical industry that is bringing training to a whole new level and gaining some stardom in the process.
The center is one of only a handful of medical schools in the country that uses Human Patient Stimulation Technology, computer controlled mannequins designed to simulate human physiology.
The technology, which has advanced tremendously since its inception three years ago, is playing a pivotal role in the training of medical professionals, said Shena Ferguson, director of clinical education at the Basic Advancement Trauma Computer Assisted Virtual Experience, or what researchers call the BATCAVE.
With the ability to emulate nearly perfect humanlike conditions, including bodily injury, drug overdoses and heart attacks, medical personnel at UNM are getting a first-hand look at situations they may face.
The mannequin, nicknamed Stan, is able to respond to medications and procedures much the same way a human body would, which is proving to be a teacher the likes the medical community has never seen before, Ferguson said.
"The technology makes these situations as lifelike as possible," said Ferguson, adding that she thinks people who train with Stan enter the workforce with the confidence to handle nearly any situation. "You can imagine the chaos of an operating room during a high-risk situation. These people need all the help they can get."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The concept of the simulated patients is catching on with the military as well.
Military medics recently began using a combat version of Stan, designed to emulate battlefield injuries such as amputations and open wounds.
Ferguson said the technology is also acquainting military personnel with the symptoms of bioterrorism and other weapons and how to treat them.
The benefits of Stan and the Human Patient Simulation Technology are not lost on Hollywood, either.
One of the only 150 mannequins in the country was featured during a Nov. 20 episode of ER, NBC's Emmy-winning medical drama.
"The number one goal of any medical professional is patient safety," said Jerry Beeman, the program's patient simulation coordinator. "We are producing better, quicker medical personnel who are less likely to make mistakes because of the training they received through this program. It really is an invaluable educational tool."
Before the invention of patient simulation, medical personnel were limited to practicing life-saving procedures on primitive mannequins and were often put into the field with very little first-hand experience, Beeman said.
The technology provides an interactive and visual tool for doctors, pharmacists and even physical therapists to sharpen their skills, he said.
Stan has been used a lot to simulate drug overdoses, which is a big problem in New Mexico, Beeman said.
With the system's ability to react accordingly to medications, it allows personnel to see the symptoms of conditions that can result from an improper diagnoses.
"Technology is advancing all the time," he said. "We are using it to provide the best medical care possible."
