When you think of simulation centers, audiovisual may not be your first thought. But AV is as integral to the success of simulation centers as the life-like manikins receiving CPR. Virtually every aspect of learning—from recording scenarios to sharing video from vital sign monitors to enabling instructors and students to communicate from different rooms—relies on heavily integrated AV systems. Yet many healthcare simulation solution providers focus solely on simulation technology and outsource the AV design and installation to someone else. This approach leaves the door open for a lot of messy—and often expensive—complications. Without the right level of cooperation between the simulation and AV teams, you risk getting AV tools that can’t integrate with the simulation technology or AV tools that don’t meet your needs at all.

Cast your mind back to middle school science (if you can!) and you’ll probably remember learning about ecosystems—a group of interconnected organisms or elements all cooperating in the same environment, like a rain forest or a coral reef. But ecosystems aren’t only found in the natural world. Interacting technologies—such as an integrated AV solution—can also form intricate systems that rely on additional interconnectivity. More broadly speaking, the systems can also connect with AV manufacturers, integrators, and end users, and missing any one of the elements threatens the health of your system. Keep reading for examples of outstanding AV systems integrated by Level 3 Audiovisual.

Most people are familiar with the motto “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” but some things are easier to re-purpose than others. While anyone with a pair of scissors can turn an old pair of jeans into a hip pair of cut-offs, for example, re-purposing an older building for a new use is more complicated. Known as adaptive reuse, this can require a careful balance of preserving historical elements while introducing modern technology and improving accessibility. Working on AV projects in older, historic buildings often requires creative problem-solving, and that makes choosing an integrator familiar with preservation guidelines a very important step in the adaptive reuse process. Here are three things to discuss with your integrator before you tackle an AV project in a historic building.

If you’ve ever invested in technology only to learn later that it needs to be rewired, reconnected, or even replaced, you know that can be both frustrating and expensive. You may end up spending more by having to replace cables, tear out walls or ceilings, or even find a more effective solution altogether. It’s especially discouraging if you hired a company to help but you still didn’t get the results you needed. If that’s happened to you, you’re not alone. 

Simulation certification is still new to Healthcare. As the simulation community has grown, defining the standards to ensure someone is qualified to perform a specific task has been at times, challenging. Since healthcare simulation centers can be found in pre-hospital programs, hospital-based programs, nursing schools, and medical schools the challenge is setting standards for certification that can be applied to all the different job environments. As the profession for simulation technicians and specialist has grown so has the movement to establish this group within the structure of simulation programs. Typically, physicians, nurses, and educators have filled most of the roles in a simulation center.

This is the first question I asked myself when starting at a healthcare simulation center. From working with patient simulator’s and skill trainers to programming vital signs and scenario’s, healthcare simulation can have a big learning curve for those just starting out in this field. The area I felt needed the majority of focus was navigating AV systems in healthcare simulation.

Thank you to all of our clients and the business that you bring us. We have been ranked 36 out of 50 Top AV Integrators for the year of 2016. While the bottom line is important, the Top 50 is just one way to view the AV industry and where success and efficient installation providers rank. We look forward to continuing our award-winning services for the years to come!