Barrie manufacturer donates $1 million for cutting-edge medical education at RVH
It was a historic day for Innovative Automation and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH).
The Barrie-based manufacturing company announced a $1 million donation to support the advancement of immersive medical education at RVH.
"This is really important for our community because it allows the hospital, which is going to double in staff, to have a tool that they can train all of those new staff members," says Innovative Automation CEO Stephen Loftus.
"This doesn't just affect RVH, but it's going to be community hospitals all around the region that are going to benefit from this virtual training," adds Innovative Automation President Mike Lalonde.
In honour of the donation, the state-of-the-art medical education centre will be called the Innovative Automation Simulation Lab.
"I think that innovation is what we're all about, so innovative automation is a perfect match for this department," says RVH President and CEO Gail Hunt.
The education centre will provide artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies to allow students to practice in realistic situations.
"It creates this real environment. You're going to think you're actually treating a patient with a heart attack or a trauma, with the sounds, the sights, and it creates that level of increased anxiety which we know that increases your retention of learning," says RVH Director of Medical Education Dr. Chris Martin.
Dr. Martin says there aren't many hospitals in the country that have incorporated this technology into medical education. He believes this training will take their staff to the next level.
"It's also kinda pandemic proof because these VR headsets can be taken home. So if we have restrictions again on space where we can't meet in person, you can be at home, I can be at home, and we can meet in the recitation room and do training together," says Dr. Martin.
RVH says its goal is to share these virtual resources with local hospitals and improve the teaching quality across Simcoe Muskoka.
"It's important for us to really keep up so that we're able to provide the best possible care for our patients right here in their own community," says Hunt.
RVH officials say this investment will position them as a leader in immersive VR medical education.
The new simulation lab will double in size as a part of RVH's expansion in the next 10 years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.