The Use of high-Fidelity Patient Simulation in Defining Telehealth Support Needs for in-Flight Medical Crisis Management in long Duration Spaceflight

Paper number

IAC-07-A1.8.05

Author

Dr. David Musson, McMaster University, Canada

Year

2007

Abstract

This paper and presentation will describe current efforts underway at the McMaster University Centre for Clinical Simulation in applying high fidelity patient simulation technology to the study of telehealth support for long duration spaceflight.

High fidelity patient simulation technology allows for real-time, hands-on, clinically accurate replication of critical health care events such as cardiovascular collapse, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrhythmias and many other life-threatening events.  Full-body, computer-driven high fidelity patient simulators are combinations of physical task trainers, sophisticated physiologic modeling, and realistic pharmacologic modeling in one platform.  Current conceptualization for high fidelity simulation extends beyond the physical patient simulator to include requisite ancillary equipment and environmental trappings of the environment being simulated.  Current efforts at our centre include the development of telehealth scenarios involving high fidelity simulation and teleconferencing models to investigate the management of critical events over extended networks and in remote locations. 

Details of the current experimental set-up will be presented, along with sample video examples of critical care telehealth simulations.  Qualitative findings thus far will be presented that address limitations and barriers in supervising critical medical event management over a telehealth network.  Applications to spaceflight will include the identification of potential difficulties in direct supervision of critical healthcare delivery, the definition of requirements for crew medical training, and the technological requirements for telehealth support for critical care events.  Special considerations to be addressed will include spaceflight-specific issues, such as variable transmission time delay and bandwidth limitations.

This presentation will be of specific interest those involved in defining telehealth technology requirements for spaceflight and to those responsible for delivering medical support and training for crewmembers and ground personnel.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A1.8.05.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A1.8.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.