Swiss Medtech Award for Switzerland's first mobile surgical simulation laboratory?

The judges assessed the innovations presented according to the following criteria:

• Patient benefits,
• Contribution to improving healthcare,
• technological pioneering spirit and
• entrepreneurial performance.

The Swiss Medtech Award 2020 will be announced at the Swiss Medtech Day on 21 September 2020 in Bern. One finalist is called Virtamed. We have also already reported on the company founded in 2007 reports. The company made the nomination with surgical simulators that enable doctors to train their surgical skills in a safe environment using virtual reality.

What makes VirtaMed special

The Schlieren-based company VirtaMed is a global leader in medical training with mixed reality simulators for minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the fields of orthopaedics, urology, gynaecology and general surgery. VirtaMed combines virtual reality graphics with original instruments and anatomical models for realistic tactile feedback and works with medical societies, medical device companies and educational institutions.

In use during corona times

As Switzerland enters Phase 3 of COVID-19 restrictions, Zurich-based VirtaMed is providing medical training to hospitals across the country with a mobile surgical simulation lab.

VirtaMed is currently using the situation as a unique opportunity to offer courses for surgical and orthopaedic residents in a specially designed mobile simulation laboratory on site at various hospitals. From St. Gallen to Geneva, trainee surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons are accompanied by a team of experts on the VirtaMed mixed reality simulators.

Dr Martina Vitz, Head of Training & Education at VirtaMed, has worked in simulation training for over 15 years, including 10 years as Director of the Laparoscopic Training Center in Zurich-Wollishofen, says: "We have received many requests for training in recent months. I am delighted to be able to offer VirtaMed's latest simulator fleet for training on site."

After many years of development, VirtaMed has brought a laparoscopy simulator to market in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing a new generation of technology to surgical training.

"As VirtaMed simulators are developed and manufactured in Switzerland, we are extremely pleased to be able to show them to junior doctors in Switzerland first," says Isabel Gauggel, Senior International Business Manager at VirtaMed. "I look forward to offering these mobile simulation training courses in neighbouring countries as soon as the travel situation allows."

Source: medinside / VirtaMed