TOLK ON THE HEALTH AND MEDICINE TRACK AT MODSIM

A revolution is underway in the use of modeling and simulation (M&S) technology in health care. There are rapidly expanding markets for advanced simulation tools and methods leading to more effective medical treatments, increased patient safely, and for meeting ongoing training requirements of the enormous healthcare workforce.  This was the theme for the 2011 MODSIM WORLD Conference.

Andreas Tolk, professor of engineering management at the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, adapted this theme in a paper entitled "Interoperability Standards for Medical Simulation Systems."  It was this paper that earned the designation as the best paper in the Health and Medicine track for the 2011 MODSIM World Conference and Exposition.  In line with this recognition, an invitation to attend the MODSIM World conference as well as award recognition for this outstanding achievement was extended to Tolk.

The health and medicine simulation community needs to maintain a healthy balance between "necessity as the mother of invention" and "invention as the father of necessity" to ensure that near term investment addresses current and near term requirements. It is important that the medical community communicate the requirements for useful models and simulations to M&S professionals in other industries by sharing their needs and experiences in ways that will inspire those non-health M&S professionals to consider how they might leverage their own expertise to improve the practice of health care.

A total of 16 papers were presented by ODU researchers, faculty and students at this conference.  In addition to presenting papers, modeling, simulation and visualization engineering students were involved in presenting posters, providing demonstrations and information at the STEM Expo program during the conference and, of course, as attendees of the conference to personally learn more about modeling and simulation.