Photo caption: HPHA team members take part in hands-on training session led by Dynamic Simulation.
A groundbreaking simulation training initiative is elevating critical care across Huron and Perth counties. Through a partnership with Dynamic Simulation, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) delivered 14 full-day, hands-on critical care simulation sessions across five hospitals in late 2024; one of the largest and most impactful training efforts Dynamic Simulation has led to date.
This collaborative project, made possible through the Critical Care Services Ontario (CCSO) Critical Care Retention Demonstration Project, focused on high-impact training in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), involving teams from HPHA, Middlesex Hospital Alliance (Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital & Four Counties Health Services), St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital & Alexandra Hospital, and Woodstock Hospital.
This first-of-its-kind regional partnership, supported through Ontario Health funding structures, marks a new beginning and has already demonstrated tremendous success. With the support of this funding, Senior Leadership from the five partner organizations collaborated with Dynamic Simulation. Together, they delivered high-quality, engaging critical care education. This brought advanced training, networking opportunities, and skills days to community and smaller hospitals, strengthening care across our region.
With Dynamic Simulation at the helm, the sessions were designed to sharpen clinical skills, enhance critical care knowledge, and foster communication and collaboration within interdisciplinary teams. These simulations gave participants the opportunity to engage in real-time clinical scenarios, promoting both skill development and confidence in high-stakes environments. The training not only strengthens patient care but also plays a key role in staff retention by investing in their ongoing professional development.
“This training was not only educational - it was empowering,” says Lynanne Mason, Vice President Partnerships, Transformation and Chief Nursing Executive at HPHA. “As a leader who had the opportunity to observe these sessions firsthand, I was struck by the level of engagement, teamwork, and skill-building on display. You could truly see the impact this type of training has on building clinical confidence and team cohesion.”
The initiative was made possible through Mason’s leadership and vision in bringing Dynamic Simulation to HPHA and partner hospitals. Dynamic Simulation extended special thanks to her for championing this innovative training approach and helping to make the partnership a reality.
The impact of this initiative is already being felt across the region. Teams have shared powerful feedback about how the training has deepened their expertise and improved their ability to respond to complex clinical situations. In particular, specialized simulation sessions focused on neonatal and pediatric care delivered in collaboration with St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, provided targeted learning opportunities for NICU and pediatric teams to refine their skills and reinforce strong, collaborative care for the region’s youngest patients.
As the demands on critical care teams continue to evolve, HPHA, together with all hospital organizations involved in this collaborative project, remains committed to ensuring that frontline providers are equipped with the tools, training, and support they need to deliver the highest quality care. This initiative reflects a shared commitment among all five organizations to their patients, their teams, and to each other as strong partners in the health system. This partnership with Dynamic Simulation is a strong example of how collaboration, innovation, and leadership can come together to make a meaningful difference, for both teams and patients.