Guide for the assessment of healthcare simulation infrastructures

Healthcare simulation in France is characterised by a recent development linked to strong expansion and a growing interest in its contribution to training, the assessment of clinical practice and continuing professional development (in french).

A report on the latest developments in simulation practice in the field of healthcare (in french) was published by the French National Authority for Health - Haute Autorité de santé (HAS) in 2012. This report highlights the fact that simulation is still developing in France but is spreading throughout the entire country. It involves a large number of healthcare professions and can be applied to all disciplines. However, this activity is marked by financing difficulties, insufficient resources and a lack of harmonised practice. The report highlights the relevance and application of healthcare simulation and absolute necessity of framing practice within well-defined rules.

Following this report, a multiprofessional and multidisplinary working group, together with HAS, developed a “Guide de bonnes pratiques en matière de simulation en santé“ (in french) on healthcare simulation in 2012. This should promote the development of simulation and facilitate its structuring so that simulation infrastructures develop while offering quality simulation programmes.

Following on from this work, HAS would like to continue its work on healthcare simulation with [health] professionals and now proposes that simulation infrastructures register voluntarily on a programme of continuing quality improvement described in this Guide for the assessment of healthcare simulation infrastructures. This initiative is offered to simulation infrastructures that are interested regardless of where the simulation sessions take place.