Smith+Nephew Academy expands global access to professional medical education through virtual reality and other advanced simulation technologies

LONDON , Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Smith+Nephew (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology company, today announces it is expanding the reach of its medical education curriculum through a suite of advanced simulation technologies. Healthcare professionals can now conveniently access core orthopaedic, robotics and sports medicine procedural skills-training using virtual and augmented reality, haptics, and 3D interactive gaming at every Smith+Nephew Academy centre of excellence around the world. 

Healthcare professionals are universally acknowledging the benefits that simulation technology can deliver as part of their continuous education journey. Reinforcing procedural, psychomotor and cognitive skills by simulating a surgeons decision making process delivers an immersive learning experience that traditional training methods cannot match.

Mr. Stephen Mitchell, Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recently led a hip fracture management course for Smith+Nephew using virtual reality. He commented, “There is a huge opportunity with virtual reality for future training applications to drive both an accelerated learning process and distance training. It lends itself perfectly to the 2D/3D nature of trauma, arthroscopy and arthroplasty procedures.”

Recent randomized controlled trials have generated data which indicates that virtual reality training programs can be a more effective modality of learning orthopaedic surgical techniques compared to passive learning tools such as a standard guide training.¹ The training groups completed their assessments faster, with a higher Global Rating Score, and demonstrated greater retention with higher scores upon re-testing at two weeks.¹

A recent Smith+Nephew survey for participants in a virtual reality training course concluded that they felt the workshop increased their surgical procedure knowledge and better prepared them for the cadaveric lab because of the instrumentation walk through.² When asked if they would like to see more virtual reality sessions as part of future medical educational programmes, 90% of the participants responded “yes”.²

“Central to Smith+Nephew’s commitment to being a global leader in medical education and improving patient outcomes is providing a state-of-the-art, interactive learning environment tailored to the needs of the healthcare professional,” said Cindy Walker, Senior Vice President of Global Medical Education for Smith+Nephew. “With Smith+Nephew Academy, we are actively transforming the way we educate our customers around the world by surrounding them with leading edge technology, clinical content and scientific data.”

A number of educational VR modules are currently available including the world’s first for arthroscopic meniscal repair launched earlier this year. Additionally, a module for the JOURNEY II BCS Total Knee Arthroplasty using a robotic-assisted CORI^◊ Surgical System will launch globally in October. 

If you are a healthcare professional and you wish to learn more about Smith+Nephew’s world-class medical education offerings, please visit our booth at OSET (#110) and our global platform Education Unlimited https://educationunlimited.smith-nephew.com/

References
1. Blumstein G, Zukotynski B, Cevallos N, et al. Randomized Trial of a Virtual Reality Tool to Teach Surgical Technique for Tibial Shaft Fracture Intramedullary Nailing. J Surg Educ. 2020;77(4): 969–977
2. Smith+Nephew survey results on file

About Smith+Nephew
Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore people’s bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose ‘Life Unlimited’. Our 18,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients’ lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global franchises of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced Wound Management.

Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in more than 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $5.2 billion in 2021. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms ‘Group’ and ‘Smith+Nephew’ are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-
nephew.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

Forward-looking Statements
This document may contain forward-looking statements that may or may not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading margins, market trends and our product pipeline are forward-looking statements. Phrases such as “aim”, “plan”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “well-placed”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “consider” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expressed or implied by the statements. For Smith+Nephew, these factors include: risks related to the impact of COVID-19, such as the depth and longevity of its impact, government actions and other restrictive measures taken in response, material delays and cancellations of elective procedures, reduced procedure capacity at medical facilities, restricted access for sales representatives to medical facilities, or our ability to execute business continuity plans as a result of COVID-19; economic and financial conditions in the markets we serve, especially those affecting health care providers, payers and customers (including, without limitation, as a result of COVID-19); price levels for established and innovative medical devices; developments in medical technology; regulatory approvals, reimbursement decisions or other government actions; product defects or recalls or other problems with quality management systems or failure to comply with related regulations; litigation relating to patent or other claims; legal compliance risks and related investigative, remedial or enforcement actions; disruption to our supply chain or operations or those of our suppliers (including, without limitation, as a result of COVID-19); competition for qualified personnel; strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions, our success in performing due diligence, valuing and integrating acquired businesses; disruption that may result from transactions or other changes we make in our business plans or organisation to adapt to market developments; and numerous other matters that affect us or our markets, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or reputational nature. Please refer to the documents that Smith+Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith+Nephew’s most recent annual report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of certain of these factors. Any forward-looking statement is based on information available to Smith+Nephew as of the date of the statement. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith+Nephew are qualified by this caution. Smith+Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in circumstances or in Smith+Nephew’s expectations.

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