Simulation as an Improvement Technique

 Historically  simulation was used as an education and training technique in  healthcare, but now has an emerging role in improving quality and  safety. Simulation-based techniques can be applied to help understand  healthcare settings and the practices and behaviours of those who work  in them. Simulation-based interventions can help to improve care and  outcomes – for example, by improving readiness of teams to respond  effectively to situations or to improve skill and speed. Simulation can  also help test planned interventions and infrastructural changes,  allowing possible vulnerabilities and risks to be identified and  addressed. Challenges include cost, resources, training, and evaluation,  and the lack of connection between the simulation and improvement  fields, both in practice and in scholarship. The business case for  simulation as an improvement technique remains to be established. This  Element concludes by offering a way forward for simulation in practice  and for future scholarly directions to improve the approach. This title  is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.