Danbury Hospital earns national surgical simulation accreditation

The Danbury Hospital Harold A. Spratt Center for Simulation and Clinical Learning is the first at Nuvance Health to receive American College of Surgeons accreditation. 

Danbury Hospital’s Harold A. Spratt Center for Simulation and Clinical Learning (HASC) has achieved initial five-year accreditation from the American College of Surgeons as a Focused Accredited Education Institute (AEI), a national recognition of excellence in simulation-based surgical education. It is the first simulation center at Nuvance Health, now part of Northwell Health, to receive this prestigious accreditation, underscoring its commitment to advancing patient safety and high-quality surgical care through innovation in education.

How simulation center accreditation for surgical services benefits patients and the community 

The accreditation means surgeons who train at Danbury Hospital and throughout Nuvance Health, now part of Northwell Health, benefit from the latest advances in simulation-based learning — helping them deliver safer, more precise surgical care. 

“Surgical education has changed dramatically over the last 20 years, with more innovation and surgical options than ever before,” said Dr. Krishan Patel, surgical director for the Spratt Center. “Surgical simulation is a top way to teach residents in a safe space to learn before a real operation.” 

Residents use the simulation center to build hands-on skills in suturing, laceration repair, endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures, robotic-assisted surgery, trauma care and even clinical, patient and family communication — all in a safe environment to equip them for real-world scenarios. 

What it takes to become an American College of Surgeons accredited simulation center in surgical services 

The AEI accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary peer-review process conducted by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The process includes a comprehensive onsite survey and evaluation of the simulation center’s people, curriculum, governance and impact on the field of surgical education. 

“To embark on this journey, we brought together key stakeholders from the simulation center, the department of surgery and Nuvance Health leadership to standardize our surgical services simulation curriculum and meet ACS accreditation requirements,” said Dr. Ramanathan Seshadri, director of simulation at the Spratt Center. 

In its review, ACS said the Danbury Hospital simulation center has a vital role within the health system and is a well-organized program with strong institutional support, passionate and qualified staff. The surveyor noted the center is particularly strong in its governance and assessment practices and is well-positioned for continued growth and leadership in simulation-based education. The surveyor also highlighted how Danbury Hospital’s integration with the University of Vermont Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine (UVM LCOM) contributed to making significant strides in simulation-based surgical education. 

International collaboration with simulation centers to raise the standard of care 

As part of the ACS-AEI Consortium, the Danbury Hospital simulation center joins a worldwide movement to improve surgical training and patient safety. It will now have access to shared research opportunities, innovative curricula and collaboration with other simulation leaders. 

“We were delighted to get the accreditation recognizing our robust surgical services education curriculum,” said Dr. Seshadri, who is also the program director of the surgical residency at Danbury Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery for UVM LCOM. “This gives us a platform to collaborate with other leading centers and further our goal of being a national leader in patient safety, team-based care and improving the patient experience.” 

Highlights about the Danbury Hospital simulation center 

The HASC has low- and high-fidelity simulation models that replicate real-world environments, artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled tools and virtual reality (VR) technology for residents to refine surgical skills as well as simulated patients that facilitate the refinement of patient-clinician communication. It is staffed with educators who are experts in optimizing these training modalities and resources. The center is open 24/7 to accommodate the demanding schedules of surgical faculty and residents.  

“We also offer novel and fun teaching methods that are memorable and highly focused on teamwork — like escape room challenges,” said Dr. Patel, who is also a general and acute care surgeon. “We designed these creative approaches to make clinical decision-making, team communication and hands-on techniques more engaging and effective.” 

Learn more about the Harold A. Spratt Center for Simulation and Clinical Learning. 

Teamwork behind the simulation center accreditation 

The simulation center’s leadership team expressed appreciation to those who contributed to the successful accreditation, including Dr. Mark Kulaga who oversees all graduate medical education at the Designated Institutional Official, Dr. Daniel Labow, system chair of surgical services at Nuvance Health and John Leopold, APRN, network director of simulation. 

“This accreditation is a testament to the strength of surgical training at Danbury Hospital and the quality of the healthcare simulation services provided at HASC; it is particularly sweet as it reflects the synergy between these departments,” Leopold said. “HASC supports clinicians of all levels and specialties. This achievement demonstrates the unique strength of our collaboration with surgery. The most important beneficiaries of our combined efforts are our patients who will continue to receive better, safer care as a result.” 

About the American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institute (ACS-AEI) 

The ACS-AEI program was established to improve the quality of surgical training and patient care through simulation. AEIs allow surgeons and residents to learn and practice skills with immediate feedback — without compromising patient safety. The program also supports collaborative research and innovation in surgical education. 

Focused AEIs, like the Danbury Hospital simulation center, serve specific learner groups, offer defined simulation programs, and maintain the space and resources to conduct high-quality educational activities. Comprehensive and Focused AEIs are recognized for their contributions to advancing the field. Learn more about American College of Surgeons. 

Hero image: Danbury Hospital Harold A. Spratt Center for Simulation and Clinical Learning Team Members (Left to right) — Dr. Krishan Patel, Surgical Director; Michelle Herring, Simulation Coordinator; Jacqueline Sidle, Manager, Simulated Patient Program; John Leopold, Network Director of Simulation; Dr. Ramanathan Seshadri, Director of Simulation