Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation

Investing in Innovation: How Simulation Powers Economic Growth

Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation

Show Notes

In this episode, we’re joined by Robert Sikora of Edmonton Global to explore the intersection of simulation-based healthcare training and economic development. Robert shares how Edmonton’s growing reputation in health and life sciences is driving international interest—and how simulation is becoming a vital pillar in attracting investment and accelerating innovation. We explore: Why global investors and startups are looking to Alberta—and specifically Edmonton—as a rising health and life sciences hub How simulation tools like CAMS at NAIT help companies validate medical devices before going to market The role of risk mitigation, workforce development, and R&D cost savings in choosing a region for innovation The collaborative advantage of Edmonton’s ecosystem—where post-secondaries, industry, and government work in harmony How simulation is reshaping regulatory readiness, product validation, and clinical training What attendees can expect from the upcoming Provincial Simulation Summit on May 7 Learn more at “Advancing Healthcare through Simulation: A Provincial Summit” hosted by CAMS at NAIT on May 7 About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

More from Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation

Sep 24, 2026

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George welcomes Jocelyn Rempel, Chair in Older Adult Health at Mount Royal University, Founding Director of the Centre for Health and Innovation in Aging, gerontology nurse, educator and researcher, and co-founder of Rise Care, a health innovation company dedicated to improving care for older adults. Jocelyn shares how education, simulation, virtual care and emerging health technologies are helping older adults maintain their independence while preparing healthcare professionals to deliver compassionate, person-centered care across hospitals, communities and home settings. The conversation explores why older adults should be active partners in designing healthcare innovations, how wearable technologies could help reduce falls, and the growing role of remote monitoring and virtual care in supporting healthier aging. Jocelyn also discusses how simulation can help organizations test new technologies before implementation and explains why collaboration across healthcare, industry and education is essential to improving care. In this episode, you'll learn: Why healthcare education must prepare learners for care across hospitals, homes and communities Why older adults should help design the technologies intended for them How wearable vestibular stimulation technology could improve balance and reduce falls The growing impact of virtual care and remote patient monitoring How simulation can safely test new technologies, workflows and models of care Why collaboration is essential to improving care for an aging population What gives Jocelyn optimism about the future of healthy aging and healthcare innovation Whether you're a healthcare professional, educator, researcher, student or innovator, this episode offers practical insights into building more accessible, person-centered care for an aging population while embracing new technologies that support independence and quality of life. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

Sep 10, 2026

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George sits down with David Campbell, an internal medicine specialist, endocrinologist, and health services researcher whose work focuses on diabetes, chronic disease management, health equity, and improving care for socially disadvantaged populations. Dr. Campbell explores the growing pressures facing healthcare systems, from workforce shortages and rising chronic disease rates to increasing social inequities that directly impact health outcomes. He explains why effective healthcare extends far beyond clinical visits and why factors such as housing, income, food security, racism, trauma, and access to social supports play a critical role in determining patient outcomes. The conversation also examines the importance of integrated care teams, patient-oriented research, pragmatic clinical trials, health informatics, and the future role of evidence-based decision-making in healthcare systems. Topics discussed include: The growing burden of chronic disease in modern healthcare How poverty and cost-of-living pressures impact diabetes care Why healthcare systems struggle to address social determinants of health The value of integrated, team-based healthcare models Lessons from healthcare systems in the United Kingdom and Ontario Why patient voices must be included in healthcare innovation Pragmatic trials and real-world healthcare research The Calgary Diabetes Mobile Clinic initiative The role of health data, AI, and learning health systems Why empathy, trust, and human connection remain essential in healthcare The future of healthcare innovation and evidence-based policy Dr. Campbell offers a powerful reminder that improving healthcare outcomes requires more than better treatments. It requires understanding the realities of people's lives and designing systems that work for everyone.

Aug 13, 2026

In this episode of Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation, host Lisa George welcomes Dr. Anthony Seto, Clinical Associate Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, emergency physician, educator and one of Canada's most creative innovators in simulation-based education. Anthony's unique career combines emergency medicine with filmmaking, DJing, event medicine and lifeguard training to create memorable learning experiences that emphasize teamwork, communication and learner engagement. His innovative approaches include Draw & Doodle Sim, TeamSIM, Beep Beep Sim, escape room style learning and low fidelity simulations that demonstrate impactful education doesn't require expensive technology. Throughout the conversation, Anthony explains why creativity often matters more than realism, how gamification improves teamwork, and why educators should not let limited budgets prevent them from creating meaningful simulation experiences. In this episode you'll learn: How filmmaking and DJing shaped Anthony's approach to simulation design Why low fidelity simulations can be just as effective as high-tech simulation labs The story behind Draw & Doodle Sim and the research that validated the concept How event medicine teams use simulation to prepare for unpredictable emergencies Why TeamSIM separates teamwork from medical content to improve learning How escape room concepts became Beep Beep Sim for on-call emergency training Practical ideas educators can implement with little or no budget Emerging trends including AI, virtual reality, tele-simulation and psychological safety Why creativity and learner engagement remain at the heart of effective simulation Whether you're new to simulation or an experienced educator, this episode offers practical ideas for creating engaging learning experiences regardless of your available technology or resources. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

Aug 6, 2026

Show Notes: In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George welcomes Carrie Krekoski, Assistant Director of Education at UBC Health, and Julie Tipping, Assistant Professor of Teaching and Program Director of the Gateway Team-Based Teaching Clinic at the University of British Columbia. Together, Carrie and Julie discuss the vision behind the Gateway Team-Based Teaching Clinic, British Columbia's first purpose-built interprofessional primary care teaching clinic. Designed to bring together learners from nine different health professions, Gateway is creating a new model where students learn with, from and about one another while delivering patient-centred care alongside an integrated healthcare team. The conversation explores how Gateway was built from the ground up to support collaborative practice, shared decision-making and patient partnership. Carrie and Julie also share the challenges of launching an innovative clinic within both an educational institution and a healthcare system, and explain how this new model could influence the future of healthcare education and primary care across Canada. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Gateway was designed as an interprofessional teaching clinic first and foremost How students from nine healthcare professions learn together in real clinical environments Why patients are considered active members of the healthcare team How team-based care prepares future clinicians for modern healthcare The five-year journey to launch the Gateway Clinic The challenges and opportunities of bringing together nine professional programs How Gateway is testing new models of collaborative primary care Why reflection, psychological safety and shared purpose are essential to successful teams How lessons from Gateway may shape healthcare education across Canada Whether you're an educator, healthcare leader, clinician or student, this episode offers valuable insights into how collaborative education can improve both learner experiences and patient outcomes. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

Jul 23, 2026

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George is joined by Dr. Tyler Williamson, Director of the Centre for Health Informatics and Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, and Teri Price, Executive Director of Greg's Wings Projects and a nationally recognized patient advocate based in Alberta. Together, they explore one of healthcare's biggest challenges: ensuring health information follows patients wherever they receive care. While many people assume their health records are seamlessly connected across the healthcare system, Tyler and Teri explain why fragmented health information continues to impact patient safety, healthcare providers and the overall patient experience. Drawing on Greg Price's story and years of collaborative work through Networked Health, they discuss why interoperability is not simply a technology issue but a human one. The conversation explores: What health data interoperability really means Why disconnected information affects patients, providers and the healthcare system Greg Price's story and the human impact of fragmented care Why interoperability is fundamentally a people problem rather than a technology problem The balance between protecting privacy and sharing information for better care The importance of teamwork across the entire healthcare system Preparing future healthcare professionals to work in connected, collaborative systems Why culture change is just as important as new technology Bill S-5 and the future of health information sharing in Canada Building a safer, smarter and more person-centred healthcare system Whether you are a healthcare professional, educator, researcher, policymaker or patient advocate, this episode offers valuable insights into how collaboration, policy and shared purpose can help create a more connected future for healthcare. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

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