The Public Affairs and Government Relations Committee was very active in 2010. The committee endorsed continued collaboration with the Advanced Initiatives in Medial Simulation (AIMS) organization and worked collaboratively on legislation supporting simulation (HR 855 and S 616). The PAGR team of Eric Brown, David Gaba, Peter Diekmann, Martha McClees, and Sandi Feaster visited legislators on Capitol Hill to speak about simulation and the need for government support. Additionally, the Committee helped develop a toolkit for legislative advocacy for SSH members.

At the direction of the Board of Directors, the committee has begun significant outreach to the international community to determine a roadmap for international advocacy. This challenging effort has led to a series of conference calls and face-to-face meetings among the US and International members of SSH. These conversations had a particular focus on increasing the sense that SSH is a resource and voice for education in healthcare and patient safety. This is a challenging effort because of the broad reach of countries, languages, etc., but the committee is up to the challenge. Look for more updates on this effort.

The Committee was responsible for representing SSH at the National Training and Simulation Association’s (NTSA) annual Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) in December 2009. Committee members Eric Brown, Sandi Feaster and David Feinstein, as well as Stas Jourin (SSH Director of Communications) were in the SSH booth. David Feinstein represented the Society on a healthcare panel at the conference as well. The team met with the President of the NTSA, Rear Admiral Frederick Lewis, USN. We discussed how SSH could collaborate with NTSA for future conferences. Admiral Lewis was very pleased that we were there representing simulation in healthcare and felt this was a needed expansion area for their constituents. SSH aims to serve as the voice in healthcare simulation for NTSA, and PAGR members will attend I/ITSEC this year. SSH leadership will again present the healthcare panel at this meeting.

The Committee will continue updating SSH membership with new activities and will actively reach out in 2011 for new members across the globe.

Amanda Burden

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