Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Understand and Astonish the Right Customers Consistently; How Tom LeMaster and The Center for Experiential Learning & Simulation at the University of Florida College of Medicine Does It
ISSUE 6
This image says it all. Tom LeMaster mentoring what could be a future surgeon, technician or engineer-inventor. The wonder and awe on the boy’s face resonates, “Imagine what could be?” Similarly, the individuals next to him were fully immersed, focused, and all stimulated in simulation learning. Outreach in its purest form.
Tom is the Director of Operations for the Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He has always been a leading educator and innovator.
I recently re-connected with Tom, and he shared with me the outstanding variety of Outreach methods he and his team are using to UNDERSTAND AND ASTONISH THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS CONSISTENTLY, in part using immersive simulation.
FIRST, WHAT IS IMMERSIVE SIMULATION
Here is a description from the University of Florida College of Medicine’s website;
Immersive Simulation Sessions typically involve more than one scenario and are influenced by participants’ characteristics, experiences, level of training, and preparation for the case or task. The perceived physical, conceptual, and emotional fidelity, as well as the appropriate level of challenge, can all affect the simulation experience (Hamstra et al., 2014; Rudolph et al., 2007). Immersive simulation usually occurs in the Simulation Center and is typically multidisciplinary.
Okay, that’s quite academic. The following are some images of the simulations Tom and his team are working on as part of their Outreach/Inreach.
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
(Tom LeMaster guiding)
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
WHAT ARE YOU NOTICING IN THESE IMAGES? WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU?
Yes, serious, high-fidelity and sometimes high intensity learning is happening in scenarios that can be stressful. But – overall – did you pick up on the joy, the wonder, the smiles, the fun? Tom and his masterful team are producing endorphins along with elevating clinical, cognitive and psychological competencies. Do you think those conducting and de-briefing these encounters are “understanding and astonishing”? You bet they are. Astonish is defined as, “To fill with wonder and amazement.”
PULL IN & GO TO OUTREACH
Image courtesy of and © Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, University of Florida College of Medicine
It’s important to note, healthcare Outreach is just as much pull in as it is go to. Tom explained to me the extensive effort he and his team undertake to discover challenges and problems individuals and organizations in their Outreach orbit are encountering. They virtually inquire, “What’s keeping you up at night?” Based on what they discover – they can custom-formulate Outreach education ranging from “go to” transporting simulation technologies and expert Outreach staff directly to their customer’s location or “pull in” individuals and groups to their world-class Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation. However one perceives this, they are pulling in as well as going to – to conduct impactful Outreach.
OUTREACH DIFFERENTIATION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL
For more than twenty-five years our firm has hyper-stressed the importance of differentiation.
- What are you doing, and
- How are you investing in and deploying resources to profoundly differentiate your Outreach?
What Tom and his organization are doing is Outreach differentiation at the highest level. They have invested heavily; they keep investing and innovating and the positive impact they are producing is measurable in tangible ways. But it also manifests intangibles such as trust, admiration and perpetuation of their LEADERSHIP position as an entity devoted to first responders, healthcare providers and citizens in its region and one that ranks high in national and global recognition.
Thanks and congratulations to all those at the Center for Experiential Learning & Simulation at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Special thanks to Stacey Anderson and Azaria “AJ” Chamorro for your help with all the images for this article.
To learn more about what Tom and his crew are doing, here’s a link;
THE BOOK OF OUTREACH FOR HEALTHCARE will feature a special segment Tom created on, “The 5 Most Important Tips to Get the Most Out of Immersive Simulation and The 5 Things to Avoid.”
COMMUNICATE
This weekly OutreachBEAT article series is devoted to informing about “Best of Breed” healthcare Outreach principles, methods and tactics. Please be in touch to express about impactful Outreach you are implementing or are aware – or – to seek guidance on Outreach challenges you may be encountering. Please communicate to [email protected]
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT & EARLY ACCESS TO THE BOOK OF OUTREACH FOR HEALTHCARE, we have an advanced notification and access list being created at the ThinkThroughTools, LLC website.
Richard M. Obertots, MBA, NREMT-P (ret.) is CEO/Drummer of ThinkThroughTools, LLC. & OutreachU, ltd., based in Canfield, Ohio, USA. He has 45 + years’ experience in EMS, air medical transport and critical care healthcare. He began as a Nationally Registered Paramedic, then Hospital EMS/Trauma Coordinator and Financial Analyst. Rich has instructed full-time at the University level and been a non-stop business creator and owner for more than five decades. He and his companies have operated in nearly every state of the USA, and he’s had numerous healthcare business endeavors throughout Australia and Canada. All of these involved designing and implementing healthcare Outreach Operating Systems, methods and supporting software.
He is the author of THE BOOK OF OUTREACH for HEALTHCARE; How to Grow Revenue by Astonishing the Right Customers Consistently, the newest edition scheduled for limited release later in 2025. He can be reached at [email protected] 330.623.5910.
