For the third consecutive year, the Center for Simulation and Innovation at Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review, a national trade publication, as one of the top hospital and health system simulation centers in the United States.
“This honor belongs to a team that shows up with compassion, clarity of purpose and an unwavering commitment to advancing health care through learning,” said Jim Rinehart, director of clinical skills and simulation for Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Graduate Medical Education. “NGHS understands that simulation is not an accessory to healthcare education, it is a force multiplier for safety, quality and human connection.”
Becker’s acknowledged how the Center for Simulation and Innovation advances clinical excellence and health equity through dual accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare in Teaching and Education and the Association of Standardized Patient Educators, placing it among a select group of nationally recognized programs meeting rigorous standards in interprofessional and standardized patient education.
The publication also highlighted the program’s signature mobile simulation initiative, which serves 11 rural communities and partners with 15 emergency medical services, many in maternity care deserts, to expand access to high-quality clinical education. Training more than 500 healthcare workers and emergency responders annually, the center delivers comprehensive, multimodal simulation across emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, behavioral health and disaster preparedness using high‑fidelity manikins, standardized patients, virtual reality and hybrid simulation. With a strong focus on cultural competency and patient‑centered care, the program supports workforce development through partnerships with nursing schools, EMS and graduate medical education programs, while extending its reach nationally through educational content distributed by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.
“This recognition affirms that simulation at NGHS is a safe space for growth, a bridge between knowledge and practice, and a catalyst for systems thinking and high reliability,” Rinehart said. “More importantly, it represents our promise to deliver safer, higher-quality care for our patients and communities.”
Learn more about the Center for Simulation and Innovation at ngmcgme.org/simulation.