VA Medical Training merges with Gaming Technology for a Cool $10 Mil
Veterans Affairs just signed an enterprise wide government contract to deliver “decision simulation” for VA medical training across the country. This means simulating high stress scenarios is no longer only in Star Trek movies and gaming technology.
Now if VA could just simulate how to schedule an appointment in a timely manner…
VA signed a five-year contract with government contractor Decision Simulation LLC, the leading providing of cloud based simulation platforms. The license renewal with the government contractor will come at a price tag of $10 million if VA takes all options.
“DecisionSim helps the VA increase the consistency and quality of care across all facilities through improved education and training delivered in an engaging, cost-effective and measurable approach,” said James B. McGee , MD, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board at Decision Simulation, “This continuation of the enterprise license demonstrates the value of DecisionSim to help improve and assess decision-making.”
The platform is called DecisionSim, which uses simulation training merged with gaming technology to enhance learning. VA medical training is accelerated through the use of the cutting edge training tool, at least according to the press release.
According to BusinessWire, VA is now a leader in using simulation to support clinical improvement. DecisionSim is used to support medical training for much of VA’s staff including: primary care, specialty care, nursing and non-clinical staff.
“We are honored to be a valued partner in the VA’s effort to improve patient care.By utilizing DecisionSim, VA healthcare professionals and staff will be better equipped to meet the needs of all Veterans and continually improve patient outcomes,” said Bob Yayac , President of Decision Simulation.
While this marks a curious directional turn for VA medical training, I hope this direction does not cause the agency to forget that veterans are the primary customers. Some actions of VA, especially as of late, sure make it seem like the agency only exists for the sake of the agency. Veterans are just an unfortunate side issue VA employees have to deal with.
Over the years, I have noticed two VA systems. One side seems antiquated regarding services provided to veterans, especially on the benefits side. They use old tools and old medical reasoning to adjudicate benefits and deny veterans.
Then, on the other hand, we have a VA with very advanced technology with access to a variety of informational and instructional systems. Billions every year is pumped into developing that side of the agency through government contracting and internal research.
It is too bad these two sides do not talk to each other.
Maybe the VA should simply cease their current practice of waiving medical residency requirements for almost all of their foreign M.D.’s? Seems medical personnel would be required to continue ancillary training to keep-up on new methods anyway as most Medical Boards require?
My civilian Gastro Specialist is an ex-USAF M.D. and he told me that when they built this brand new VA Medical Facility in my city, he thought he would be able to help troops out by responding to a call for more M.D.’s and it even would have knowingly been a step-down in pay for him. Guess what?! He was told by the VA that he was OVER QUALIFIED!! Pretty sad! So, that M.D. you need an interpreter to remotely understand could NOT practice medicine otherwise in civilian medical field until they attended up to 4 years MORE of residency or in most cases, needed academics.
Seems the VA is resorting to “virtual training” with the $10 Million…and the medical care is indeed virtually _ _ _ _-ed!
Same “XBOX Gaming Platform” is used by military to not simply “train” but to “desensitize infantry” to the horrors of war and violence…FACT! What’s scarey is that very behavioral modification in almost “A Clockwork Orange” kind of way, has made it’s way into mainstream society and although nobody wants to tackle the big $$gorilla in the room, it’s one of the HUGE contributing factors to more violence in society now. So in a sense, the military/DOD are actually using “human programming” in order to lesson or even deny PTSD due to the very behavioral modification, AKA “Brainwashing” they are doing in order to later on not pay out the claims of PTSD and TBI. Bas-TURDS!
Just think how many back-claims could be paid out with $10 Million?? Crazy!! Just crazy!! one step forward for the VA is 20 steps backwards to their own benefit and lest we forget their very bonuses?!
Fellow Veterans: Please donate in any way you can to Ben’s great work he and his org. are doing!
They are using gaming systems in order to mind control people with the images and the messages behind the video games. Including sound waves/vibrations. It’s a form of control!
Get away from the gaming systems, don’t do this to yourself. Why would you need technology to help you make decisions!? We are meant to have free will and make our own decisions!
IT IS VERY SAD THAT WE ARE CONTINUALLY “IMPROVING” THE TRAINING AND OTHER FACETS OF THE SYSTEM, BUT THE “RESULTS” FOR THE REAL CLIENTS STAYS THE SAME OR, AT SOME PLACES, HAS WENT DOWN. THERE NEEDS TO BE ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE VA, “SERVICE” TO OUR VETS. THE SERVICE W GAVE HAS “COST” US, THE SERVICE WE “DESERVE” WILL “COST” THE VA.