Hartford Hospital’s Simulation Center Earns National Accreditation
January 30, 2014
Hartford, CT - The Center for Education, Simulation, and Innovation (CESI) has been accredited as a comprehensive – Accredited Education Institute (AEI) by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). An ACS-AEI addresses the educational needs of a broad spectrum of learners and advances the science of simulation-based surgical education.
In 2013, nearly 11,000 people were trained at CESI in over 1,600 classes totaling more than 55,000 hours of classroom training.
The overall goals of the ACS -AEI program are to enhance surgical patient safety, support surgeons’ maintenance of certification requirements, address the competencies that all surgeons and surgical residents need to achieve and demonstrate, and enhance access to contemporary surgical education. AEIs provide learners an opportunity to learn and practice new skills, and receive immediate feedback without compromising patient safety or comfort. AEIs also conduct innovative research to advance simulation-based surgical education.
The AEI accreditation program is a voluntary peer-review process. Institutions that successfully complete the process are accredited for a period of three years. To receive accreditation, an institution undergoes a stringent two-part review process that first requires an onsite survey conducted by a team of experienced surgeon site reviewers who have expertise in skills and simulation education. After determining the institution’s ability to demonstrate compliance with the three Standards and Criteria (Learners, Curriculum and Technology and Resources), a site visit report is reviewed and assessed to determine compliance for each criterion. A formal recommendation is then made to the Accreditation Review Committee and is voted on by the committee, at which time a decision is made whether to grant a three-year accreditation.
There are two levels of accreditation, Comprehensive and Focused, each with specific requirements. The level of accreditation status differs based, in part, on the focus of the educational program, the learners served, the curriculum offered, and the technological support and resources available. The Institute as a comprehensive AEI, provides a program which educates four learner groups, develops original curricula, offers a broad spectrum of education programs and has the resources and physical space necessary to conduct its educational activities. The institute is also dedicated to the advancement of the field through research and scholarly activities.
Established by the American College of Surgeons’ Division of Education, with approval from the Board of Regents, the AEI Consortium accredited its first institutes in 2006. Today the Consortium is a network of 68 Comprehensive and 11 Focused ACS-AEIs. The AEI program offers unique opportunities for collaborative research.
About the American College of Surgeons
The ACS is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The ACS has more than 78,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org.
About Hartford Hospital
Hartford Hospital, founded in 1854, is one of the largest teaching hospitals and tertiary care centers in New England with one of the region's busiest surgery practices. It is annually ranked among America's Best Hospitals by US News & World Report and has been recognized nationally for the quality of many of its programs, including cardiology, cancer, stroke and joint and spine care. The 867-bed regional referral center provides high-quality care in all clinical disciplines. Among its divisions is The Institute of Living, a 114-bed mental health facility with a national and international reputation of excellence. Jefferson House, a 104 bed long-term care facility, is also a special division of Hartford Hospital. The hospital’s major centers of clinical excellence include cardiology, oncology, emergency services and trauma, mental health, women’s health, orthopedics, bloodless surgery and advanced organ transplantation. Hartford Hospital owns and operates the state’s only air ambulance system, LIFE STAR.