title: Technology and simulation to improve patient safety.
abstract: Improving the quality and efficiency of surgical techniques, reducing technical errors in the operating suite, and ultimately improving patient safety and outcomes through education are common goals in all surgical specialties. Current surgical simulation programs represent an effort to enhance and optimize the training experience, to overcome the training limitations of a mandated 80-hour work week, and have the overall goal of providing a well-balanced resident education in a society with a decreasing level of tolerance for medical errors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ghobrial
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Youssef J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hamade
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Bernard R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Bendok
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: James.harrop@jefferson.edu.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Harrop
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D061214:Patient Safety; D013672:Technology; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Neurosurgery; Neurosurgical simulator; Resident education; Simulation; Surgical simulator