Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate.
Dr. Michael Smith, director of the Ochsner Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety Center, has been recognized for his work in Simulation Innovation by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine’s (SAEM) Simulation Academy – a national organization focused on the development and use of simulation in emergency medicine education, research and patient care.
This May, Dr. Smith was recognized with the 2018 Innovation in Simulation Award during the Simulation Academy Business Meeting at SAEM18 – the annual meeting for SAEM and the largest forum for the presentation of original education and research in academic emergency medicine – in Indianapolis, IN.
Awarded annually, the Innovation in Simulation Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated creative, novel and transformative use of medical simulation. The honoree is nominated by fellow Simulation Academy members and then selected by the executive committee of the Simulation Academy.
Dr. Smith is an active member of the Simulation Academy and a past president. He developed SAEM’s train the trainer sessions and played an instrumental role in the launch of Simulation Academy’s “Fellow’s Forum” – an opportunity each year for fellows in medical simulation to present their research to a national audience and receive critical feedback.
In addition to his role as director for the Ochsner Clinical Simulation and Patient Center, Dr. Smith serves as an associate professor at the University of Queensland / Ochsner Clinical School. He is also a past president of the Ohio chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and has served on several national ACEP committees. He is currently on the board of the Louisiana Chapter of ACEP and on the executive committee as secretary.
Originally from Ohio, Dr. Smith attended Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, completed his residency at MetroHealth Medical Center/Cleveland Clinic/Case Western Reserve University and earned his MBA from Cleveland State University. He is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
“We are dedicated to making sure our patients receive the best care possible and are driven to look for ways to improve patient safety. By practicing with simulations, our team is able to experience first-hand how to react and learn from potential scenarios that could arise with patients,” said Dr. Smith. “It is such an honor to be recognized by my peers for the innovative work we are doing every day at the Ochsner Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety Center.”
Opened in late 2017, the Ochsner Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety Center is a multi-disciplinary, interprofessional training center with simulation-based educational deliverables that promote patient safety and quality through the advancement of teamwork. The center offers the most current technology to improve patient safety through the training of all practicing clinicians and students and residents. It utilizes high-fidelity human patient simulators to mimic physiologic functions of a real patient, which allows learners to acquire and practice clinical skills in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
For more information about the Ochsner Clinical Simulations and Patient Safety Center, please visit simulation.ochsner.org or call 504-703-5603. For more information about SAEM, please visit saem.org.