April 22, 2025 • 26 mins
Wendy LaGrange, VP and Managing Director at Wallcur (now part of 3B Scientific), reveals the vital role of the Corporate Roundtable within the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. This behind-the-scenes organization bridges the gap between industry partners and educators to advance healthcare simulation and improve patient outcomes.
• Corporate Roundtable serves as the corporate arm of SSH, bringing together approximately 50 companies
• Started 15 years ago as a small committee, now playing a significant role in shaping healthcare simulation
• Members meet quarterly to align industry goals with SSH's strategic priorities
• Corporate Roundtable hosts workshops focused on research and development, connecting innovators with industry resources
• A new "shark tank" platform is being developed to help bring simulation innovations from concept to market
• Industry representation on the SSH Board of Directors ensures the corporate perspective influences policy and advocacy
• Competition transforms into collaboration when companies unite under the shared goal of advancing healthcare education
To learn more about the Corporate Roundtable or how your company can get involved, visit the SSH website or contact the SSH staff liaison for more information.
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Welcome to The Sim Cafe, apodcast produced by the team at
Innovative Sim Solutions, editedby S House y Ed H Join our
(01:03):
host, Deb Tauber, and co-hostJerrod Jeffries as they sit down
with subject matter expertsfrom across the globe to
reimagine clinical education andthe use of simulation.
So pour yourself a cup ofrelaxation, sit back, tune in
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and learn something new from TheSim Cafe.
Deb Tauber (01:33):
Welcome to another episode of The Sim T Cafe, and
today, j and I are here withWendy LaGrange, and this episode
is going to take a little bitof a different direction.
We're going to talk about theinfluence that the corporate
roundtable with the Society forSimulation and Healthcare has.
First of all, Wendy, why don'tyou tell our listeners a little
(01:55):
bit about yourself?
Wendy LaGrande (01:55):
Absolutely.
Thanks for having me.
Deb and Jerrod, ,Reall ,Reallyappreciate it.
Great opportunity to be hereand talk to the simulation
community A little bit aboutmyself.
I am the vice president andmanaging director at Walker.
Walker is newly part of the 3Bscientific family of companies.
I've been with Walker for goingon 13 years now.
Walker to tell a little bitabout Walker we are the
(02:18):
originator of training,medications and products for
clinical simulation andeducation.
We were actually one of thefirst companies to emerge in the
area of clinical simulation.
We were founded 50 years ago bya nurse educator who was
actually one of the originalMath for Meds author, a text
that's still used in clinicaleducation today.
Our brand is Practi.
(02:39):
We focus on providing highquality, true to life, realistic
designs for medical training toincrease student and
professional readiness and cutdown on medication
administration errors.
It's really our focus is in onsimulated medications and on
medication administrationtraining.
Deb Tauber (02:56):
Thank you.
I remember when you were firststarting in it it was you know.
It was very exciting to see anew player on the black.
Jerrod Jeffries (03:03):
And you also mentioned the 3B Scientific.
That was relatively recent.
Wendy LaGrande (03:08):
Yes, yeah so in September of 2023, Walker
proudly became part of the 3BScientific family of companies
Very exciting.
3b is a leading manufacturer inmedical simulation products and
anatomical models forhealthcare education.
They're a worldwide company.
They've been around for manyyears, Started in Hamburg,
(03:28):
Germany, and they've grownglobally.
We have affiliates in I thinkit's 20, some odd countries
around the world and really oneof the leading providers in
clinical simulation andeducation and anatomical
modeling.
Deb Tauber (03:41):
Good Glad you're happy.
Wendy LaGrande (03:44):
It's wonderful.
By joining forces with 3B, itreally allowed Walker to further
empower healthcareprofessionals and educators with
cutting edge training solutions.
The synergies between our twocompanies are really evident in
our shared dedication toimproving patient outcomes with
effective training, so it's beena great marriage for the two
companies.
Good, yeah, very exciting, yeah, really really exciting for us
(04:06):
to expand ourselves bothdomestically and globally in
clinical education andsimulation.
Deb Tauber (04:11):
Right Now.
Why don't you give us anoverview of the corporate
roundtables, especially what itis for those listeners who are
unfamiliar with it?
So break it down, please.
Wendy LaGrande (04:22):
Yeah, absolutely so.
In addition to my role atWalker, I actually served on the
executive committee for thecorporate roundtable as both the
chairperson for two years, thevice chair for a year and now
I'm the immediate past chair.
I'll get into a little bitabout what corporate roundtable
is in just a minute but just togive perspective, I also had the
privilege to serve on the SSHboard of Directors, which, as
(04:43):
the corporate roundtable chair,you are given a director at
large position on the SSH Boardof Directors.
So I worked under BarryEisenberg and Jane Smitten as
presidents in the SSH Board ofDirectors, which was an
incredible privilege.
As I'm sure you're aware,they're both two very prolific
people within the world ofclinical simulation and really
an honor to work under anincredible board.
(05:04):
With SSH I'm sure everybody'svery familiar SSH is our
affiliate organization thatbasically are our association
that really serves members infostering education,
professional development andadvancing research and
innovation in clinicalhealthcare and simulation.
It really promotes theprofession of healthcare
simulation through standards andethics and champions healthcare
(05:27):
simulation through advocatingsharing, facilitating and
collaborating.
That's really the focus of SSH.
So as such and they also put onIMSH and SimOps and the big
simulation events so in terms ofCorporate Roundtable.
Corporate Roundtable is anorganization within SSH that was
developed to fostercollaboration between the
(05:49):
industry partners socorporations, manufacturers,
distributors, et cetera and SSHand the society itself.
It's a platform that serves asa vital link between the
healthcare simulation industryand SSH, promoting innovation
and advancing the field ofhealthcare simulation.
So we are the corporate armunder the Society for Simulation
(06:10):
and Healthcare.
There are benefits to being partof Corporate Roundtable as
members the corporate membersand they include a lot of the
major players within simulation.
So you know companies likeMind3D, scientific, Walker,
Laird al, Gamard, SIMl ab ab ab,different companies like that
that are all involved ElevateHealthcare.
You know those companies.
They could be mannequincompanies AI ai companies,
(06:32):
hands-on tactile trainingcompanies v vr companies all
involved in Corporate Roundtable.
The benefits of being part ofCorporate Roundtable outside of
just exhibiting it at IMSH, is,you know they're great
networking opportunities.
Members can connect with otherindustry leaders, ssh executives
and, fostering that type ofrelationship Influence, we can
(06:52):
participate and shape the futureof healthcare simulation by
providing input on SSHinitiatives and industry
standards.
The visibility corporateroundtable members get
visibility within SSH community,access to the expertise of the
members that are part of SSH andthen just the ability for us to
have a dialogue and have equalrepresentation and participation
(07:13):
with SSH as industry partners.
So it's really a fantastic dualplatform that allows industry
to provide feedback to SSH andthe education clinical education
community, as well as to takethat feedback to SSH and the
education clinical educationcommunity, as well as to take
that feedback from thatcommunity and bring it back to
our manufacturing and productdevelopment.
Jerrod Jeffries (07:33):
And when was all this started, Wendy?
Wendy LaGrande (07:34):
So it was started.
The corporate roundtable wasstarted about 15 years ago and
it really gained a lot oftraction.
In the last five to seven yearsis really when kind of the
development of this has reallygone full force.
It started out as just a sowithin SSH they have committees
and task force.
It was started as a smallcommittee to just kind of bring
in some feedback and in the lastreally 10 years it's really
(07:58):
grown into a really big part ofthe overall SSH association.
Jerrod Jeffries (08:05):
I mean in that 15 slash 7 years.
How has it evolved from what itwas to maybe the adolescent
stage, to now more of the matureone?
Wendy LaGrande (08:15):
Yeah, absolutely so.
The vision behind CorporateRoundtable was to foster
industry collaboration andfacilitate the dialogue and
cooperation between SSH and keyindustry stakeholders.
When it first began its primaryfocus was on, you know, ssh was
really focused on the educationside of clinical simulation, so
setting standards foraccreditation, credentialing,
(08:36):
advocacy.
But as a society grew, therereally grew a need to better
communicate and collaborate withthe industry partners that
participate in IMSH and inproviding products for the
community.
But it was fairly limited interms of the industry's
participation in the society, tojust the main conference and
the main conferences andexhibiting and selling the
(08:57):
products to those marketchannels.
So the CR was developed tobroaden that relationship and
create a partnership betweenindustry and society.
And that's really where we aretoday, which is really fantastic
to see.
Deb Tauber (09:11):
It's fantastic and it's really needed, because we
need to bridge those gaps andtake from industry what you guys
have to offer, which is a lot.
Wendy LaGrande (09:21):
There is as much need for that duality as there
is for the education andtraining itself, Because if
industry is not creating theright products or we're not
meeting the needs of thetraining industry, then it
handicaps both sides.
You know, really handicapsclinical education.
So we need to have that kind ofplatform for that dialogue, to
have that knowledge exchangebetween the two entities.
Deb Tauber (09:44):
It's been fascinating to watch the shifts
over the last couple years frommere mannequins to so much more
with the virtual reality, mm.
Wendy LaGrande (09:55):
Exactly, yeah, it's been such a fascinating you
know, growth curve that we'veall seen simulation on in the
last, you know, 10 to 15 yearsand especially as we went
through, you know, events likeCOVID, where we saw a mass
exodus of practitioners and nowthe need to really accelerate
that clinical training and allowfor the advancement of
(10:18):
healthcare through education inmodalities that actually meet
that need, that kind ofaccelerated need and the ability
to utilize simulation.
When people couldn't be at thepatient bedside and couldn't do
clinical rounds when they weregoing through their education
processes, simulation was a hugepart of allowing that process
to still go forward and givingthose learners the accessibility
(10:41):
to the education platforms thatthey needed to be involved in,
because we all can't just learnin a classroom, especially in
clinical education.
So simulation really gave thatopportunity for those learners
to have hands-on practice whenthey couldn't be by patient
bedside.
So that's been great.
It's really important in termsof what Corporate Roundtable is
(11:01):
doing to shape the industriesand why it's important for
companies to be involved inplatforms like Corporate
Roundtable.
We have, I think, about 50members right now within the
community but that platform forknowledge exchange and sharing
insights and best practices andemerging trends in healthcare
simulation technology andmethodology is and best
practices and emerging trends inhealthcare simulation
technology and methodology is anongoing process and something
(11:23):
we need all people withinindustry to participate in, not
just mannequin companies or notjust people who are making those
task trainers but especiallynow, with AI and VR becoming
such an important part of theclinical education and
simulation process.
Deb Tauber (11:38):
And how can members get involved if they want to get
involved with the corporateround table.
Wendy LaGrande (11:42):
So the corporate round table is open to any
corporation or anybody who'sreally in the simulation
industry.
We have a liaison within SSH.
So within SSH there's alwaysfor all of the different
committees and groups there's astaff member that's part of the
SSH, that works for SSH, andthen there are liaisons like
myself who are the liaisonbetween the board of directors
(12:04):
and those different committeesso they can contact me.
Actually, I can provide theinformation as one of the
executive committee members orOlivia Fleener is her married
name now the one who runs IMSHshe actually can provide any
information to any corporationsthat are interested in and you
know I can provide thatinformation to you, deb, so you
can share that with yourlisteners too.
(12:25):
There's also information on theSSH website about Corporate
Roundtable.
You can go in and you can lookup the information there
information to join, what thebenefits are and what that looks
like for any company that'sinterested are and what that
looks like for any companythat's interested, because you
mentioned that there's 50-ishinvolved.
Jerrod Jeffries (12:43):
How's the interaction or how's that
involvement look like on anannual basis, or is it more
heavier at the conference side,or is it, and you also mentioned
?
Of course there's the SimOps.
There's the new website thatjust came out as well.
Obviously, the majority ofpeople know of IMSH, but how's
the frequency and what's thetempo of the interaction between
(13:05):
the different organizations?
Wendy LaGrande (13:08):
Yeah, so we actually have four meetings a
year.
They're quarterly.
We meet in person at IMSH.
It's about a two hour meetingat IMSH, which is the time that
we actually kind of go throughour goals from the previous year
, set the goals for the upcomingyear, about what we really want
to achieve with CorporateRoundtable.
Corporate Roundtable's goalsare always based around the SSH
strategic priorities.
(13:28):
So there's a strategic plan andstrategic priorities within SSH
and they involve advocacy fiveareas of focus advocacy,
research and innovation,education and learning,
credentialing and organizationalsustainability and growth.
So Corporate Roundtable alwaysfocuses their goals on around
those five strategic priorities.
(13:49):
So we set priorities thatreally help advance that
strategic plan and prioritiesfor the association and for
industry as well.
So we meet quarterly.
We meet in person at IMSH andthen we have a quarterly virtual
meeting with all the members tokind of review the goals,
review different taskssurrounding those goals and the
different plans that we have Forthis year.
(14:10):
We actually started last year.
One of the things that we puttogether was a workshop, an
industry workshop that wasspecific to research and
development, and we're actuallygoing to continue that going
forward each year.
We got such great feedback.
We had panelists such as RyanRivera and Harua Kuda and Barry
Eisenberg and John Laerdal,really talking about the R&D
(14:31):
process and how we could createa dialogue between industry and
the medical and educationcommunity to talk about how
products are developed and howfeedback and mechanisms could
actually be created so that wecould continue to provide the
best possible products and dowhat was needed in the clinical
education industry from aresearch and development
(14:52):
perspective to meet the needs ofthe industry.
Deb Tauber (14:55):
Very interesting.
Wendy LaGrande (14:56):
Yeah, it was really an exciting workshop.
We had phenomenal.
We had 15 amazing panelists.
We had a great attendance.
Very interesting actually.
A it's a pathway betweenSimVentors and the show floor.
So you've got these people whocome in with SimVentors and
(15:23):
they're, you know, typicallypeople who really have no idea
how to launch a product or doanything, but they've got these
great ideas.
And who better to help fosterand facilitate that?
But the industry partners.
So Corporate Roundtable isworking with Olivia and with SSH
to really do that and thetechnology committee of SSH to
really develop a great platform,sort of a shark tank platform,
(15:45):
to be able to help foster thatkind of development and
innovation.
Deb Tauber (15:50):
Now I think you might have touched on this, but
can you speak to some of themost impactful initiatives or
projects that the CR has beeninvolved with recently?
Wendy LaGrande (15:58):
Yeah, absolutely .
Initiatives or projects thatthe CR has been involved with
recently yeah, absolutely.
So some of the things thatwe've done you know we
participate in the virtuallearning labs that are put on
during the summer to introduceclinical educators to different
products and technologies thatare available to them.
We do, you know a lot of themare participating with the
(16:19):
what's new in sim showcase at iThey're they're able to do
learning labs at imsh iintroduce products and train
practitioners and and educatorson their different training
modalities, and then also ther&d workshop that I mentioned
and this kind of new processthat we're working on.
One of the biggest that justhappened was the corporate
(16:40):
roundtable was really involvedand prolific in the white paper
that was about technology andsimulation.
That was spearheaded by HaruOkuda and Ryan Rivera.
Ryan was actually the chair ofthe corporate roundtable prior
to me and on the board ofdirectors, and out of that came
the white paper that now we'veabout to basically go to
publication on.
So really about theadvancements of technologies in
(17:02):
simulation.
Deb Tauber (17:03):
Exciting.
Wendy LaGrande (17:04):
Very exciting.
Yeah, really looking forward toseeing that actually get
published and be available byIMSH of 2026.
Deb Tauber (17:13):
Now, how does the corporate roundtable influence
industry standards, bestpractices and policy decisions,
and do you have any examples ofthat?
Wendy LaGrande (17:39):
directors, and that's a really, really
impactful, important thing tohold, to be able to have a seat
at the table and have a voiceand be a mouthpiece for industry
in the board of directors, who,ultimately, is representing the
society right?
So that's a really incrediblething.
That was just instituted a fewyears back and it allows for
corporate roundtable andindustry to be directly involved
in the initiatives of thesociety, which include
(18:00):
government advocacy,accessibility to research,
accessibility to regulatoryagencies and things like that.
So recent initiatives by theboard have been to work with
government specifically toincrease awareness and funding
for clinical simulation.
So for there to be industryrepresentative on the board of
directors is really an impactfulway that we can actually
(18:20):
continue to influence bestpractices and policy decisions.
Jerrod Jeffries (18:25):
So I want to go back a little bit to the
innovation and scientificresearch as well.
So you mentioned I think therewere 15 individuals that were at
that R&D piece, and then alsoyou have a potential of a SIM
vendors platform.
That might be evolving, we cansee in the future, but what role
(18:47):
does the CR really play in that, as well as maybe the broader
industry with everything?
Wendy LaGrande (18:54):
Sure.
So the workshop that Imentioned, the R&D workshop, was
actually facilitated andconducted by the Corporate
Roundtable.
So myself and Dr Yue Dong, whois actually on the board of
directors and works at, Ibelieve, the Mayo Clinic, he and
I got together basicallythrough the board of directors
and he kind of came to me withquestions about, well, how does
(19:17):
industry create products and howdo you guys do your R&D
channels?
And what if I have a needthat's not being met, who would
I talk to?
And so we really that's kind ofopened the dialogue and I went
back to our industry partnersand I said, hey, there's a
disconnect here between thesetwo entities and we need to
create a platform where there isa dialogue about understanding
(19:39):
the R&D channels and productdevelopment and what is really
needed in the medical professionand in the clinical education
professions specific tosimulation.
And it was an amazing thing tosee how many people were so
willing to be involved in that.
I mean we had Barry Eisenberg,Dr Barry Eisenberg, Hiru Dr Hiru
(19:59):
Dr.
Hiru Okuda, John Ryan Rivera,john Laerdal President Neil
Weber, president of LaerdalDirector Peter McKay, director
of Doug at 3B, doug Lynn fromLoomis, lynn Welsh Anna Lucid
Labs, anna Lynn from Limbs andThings myself.
We were all part of this panelwhere we had, you know, people
who are medical practitioners,who are very involved in
(20:20):
simulation, as well as peoplefrom the industry, and then
people were able to come and askquestions and say, hey, if I've
got an idea, how would I dothis?
What are the things I need todo?
And it really created thisgreat dialogue and everybody was
so excited about it that wesaid, okay, we need to formalize
this.
It was, you know, it was ourinitial launch at this past IMSH
, and now, as we move into thenext year, we're really trying
to formalize it a little bitmore and allow us to expand that
(20:43):
platform and have people bringideas Out of that grew.
You know we have this.
The SimVentors has been going onat IMSH for quite some time and
it's a big part of the showfloor, the exhibit hall floor,
and you can have you can haveanybody who's trying to launch a
product or introduce an ideacan come and be part of
SimVentors.
But there's a big differencebetween that and then these big
(21:05):
companies that are exhibiting atIMSH, and so this new idea is
to create like a bridge betweenthose two where companies can
take a look at these ideas andreally foster and develop and
mentor some of these individualswho bring these ideas into
simulation.
So we're kind of taking thisworkshop and then putting it
into practice and potentiallycreating this kind of shark tank
(21:28):
scenario where people can pitchtheir ideas and really come and
talk about.
They had something called PitchRoom last year but not a lot of
people knew about it.
So we're kind of trying to takethat idea and really grow it
and allow industry to see whatthose ideas are out there and
where the gaps are and then takethat and really build on that
and create products that meetthat need.
Deb Tauber (21:51):
So will you have the Pitch Room this year as well?
Wendy LaGrande (21:54):
You know they're working on right now.
We're working on what kind ofthe idea behind why that was
done and what they're planningto do.
It's all kind of in thedevelopment phase right now.
So we're kind of trying to takewhat Corporate Roundtable did
and that idea and that workshopand what they did with the pitch
room and SimVentors andformalize it and combine it a
(22:17):
little bit better and in a waythat they can have a real impact
on both the clinical educationside and the association side,
as well as the industry side.
Deb Tauber (22:27):
Now, how do you see Corporate Roundtable addressing
emerging trends?
Wendy LaGrande (22:32):
So I mean basically by expanding Corporate
Roundtable and the society.
That's really what we need todo.
We need to just continue togrow the participation in
Corporate Roundtable and thesociety so we can further take
opportunities through thisplatform to work together and
create exposure to clinicalsimulation.
That's what we're all trying todo, because the challenge of
(22:52):
clinical educators and how toadvocate for them through
research and access to fundingthat'll have a major impact on
clinical education and trainingand thus better healthcare
overall and better patientoutcomes.
So that's really what we're alltrying to do.
So by growing both the CRplatform, the corporate
roundtable platform, theindustry involvement and the
(23:13):
association itself, it's goingto create better awareness for
both the industry and thehealthcare profession and the
clinical simulation professionso that we can actually have an
even bigger impact than we'realready having on healthcare.
Deb Tauber (23:26):
Now, when did you have like a favorite part of
being in the corporate roundtable?
What was your any good memoriesof it?
Wendy LaGrande (23:32):
I do so.
I got to know some amazingpeople within the industry, and
a lot of people within businessare in competition with each
other, right, so you could havea competitor out there that you
may not know personally.
You know their products and youknow they're your competitor.
But when you get into corporateround table, you're all equal.
You are there to furtherhealthcare education and you're
(23:55):
not necessarily competitors, butyou bring together ideas and
you talk about our industry as awhole and you create
camaraderie and friendship.
You know, and healthycompetition is good for
everybody and it's a way for usto actually all be on the same
page for the end game, which isreally improving healthcare.
And then I'll be totally honestbeing able to be part of the
(24:19):
board of directors was anincredible privilege and one of
my favorite parts.
And working with people whohave been in this industry for
so long Don Shokin, barryEisenberg, haru Akuda I mean
these incredible people who I'velearned so much from and been
able to just gain so muchpersonally as well as
professionally.
Deb Tauber (24:38):
Fantastic.
Thank you so much.
Are there any words that you'dlike to leave our listeners with
today?
Wendy LaGrande (24:45):
Yeah, absolutely .
This was so exciting for mebecause we're a big podcast
family.
I was laughing because my kids,you know they're like are you
going?
Jerrod Jeffries (24:52):
o J.
Wendy LaGrande (24:52):
R.
I said no, I'm going on thepodcast.
It's amazing.
I'm going on Joe Rogan.
I said no, I'm going on DebTauber's podcast.
Jerrod Jeffries (24:56):
It's amazing, I'm going on, s.
Wendy LaGrande (24:57):
e.
I can't wait, so I can't waittill we grow Sim Cafe to be as
big as you know, biglistenership as Joe Rogan, so
that we can bring more awarenessto how important clinical
simulation is and clinicaltraining.
You know there just, there'snot many things that are more
important than our health andtaking care of people.
And that's really what we do in,you know, clinical education,
(25:19):
whether it's from thepractitioner side, the educator
side or the industry side.
So I'm really, really lookingforward to seeing how this grows
on that higher bell curve evenin more in the next 10 years.
So I really appreciate you guysbringing awareness and bringing
this platform to so many people.
Deb Tauber (25:38):
Thank you.
Thank you for the kind words.
We really appreciate that.
Wendy LaGrande (25:41):
Love getting to know both of you guys over the
years.
We've known each other for manyyears and look forward to a lot
of fun IMSH and SimOps anddifferent opportunities to get
together again.
So many more to come and thanksfor the time.
Jerrod Jeffries (25:55):
Been a pleasure .
Wendy LaGrande (25:56):
Great to see you .
Thanks so much.
Thank you and happy simulating.
All right, you too.
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The new SimVS iV Infusion PumpSimulator is the first to market
(00:21):
in this critical learning area,with great realism and advanced
features like simulation, metaorders, gamified med arrows and
more.
SimVS IV significantly reducesthe burden for training proper
IV administration when comparedto refurbished pumps.
SimVS IV helps students developthe confidence needed in a safe
(00:43):
environment before facing thechallenges of modern health care
.
To learn more, visit www.
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Welcome to The Sim Cafe, apodcast produced by the team at
Innovative Sim Solutions, editedby S House y Ed H Join our
(01:03):
host, Deb Tauber, and co-hostJerrod Jeffries as they sit down
with subject matter expertsfrom across the globe to
reimagine clinical education andthe use of simulation.
So pour yourself a cup ofrelaxation, sit back, tune in
(01:24):
and learn something new from TheSim Cafe.
Deb Tauber (01:33):
Welcome to another episode of The Sim T Cafe, and
today, j and I are here withWendy LaGrange, and this episode
is going to take a little bitof a different direction.
We're going to talk about theinfluence that the corporate
roundtable with the Society forSimulation and Healthcare has.
First of all, Wendy, why don'tyou tell our listeners a little
(01:55):
bit about yourself?
Wendy LaGrande (01:55):
Absolutely.
Thanks for having me.
Deb and Jerrod, ,Reall ,Reallyappreciate it.
Great opportunity to be hereand talk to the simulation
community A little bit aboutmyself.
I am the vice president andmanaging director at Walker.
Walker is newly part of the 3Bscientific family of companies.
I've been with Walker for goingon 13 years now.
Walker to tell a little bitabout Walker we are the
(02:18):
originator of training,medications and products for
clinical simulation andeducation.
We were actually one of thefirst companies to emerge in the
area of clinical simulation.
We were founded 50 years ago bya nurse educator who was
actually one of the originalMath for Meds author, a text
that's still used in clinicaleducation today.
Our brand is Practi.
(02:39):
We focus on providing highquality, true to life, realistic
designs for medical training toincrease student and
professional readiness and cutdown on medication
administration errors.
It's really our focus is in onsimulated medications and on
medication administrationtraining.
Deb Tauber (02:56):
Thank you.
I remember when you were firststarting in it it was you know.
It was very exciting to see anew player on the black.
Jerrod Jeffries (03:03):
And you also mentioned the 3B Scientific.
That was relatively recent.
Wendy LaGrande (03:08):
Yes, yeah so in September of 2023, Walker
proudly became part of the 3BScientific family of companies
Very exciting.
3b is a leading manufacturer inmedical simulation products and
anatomical models forhealthcare education.
They're a worldwide company.
They've been around for manyyears, Started in Hamburg,
(03:28):
Germany, and they've grownglobally.
We have affiliates in I thinkit's 20, some odd countries
around the world and really oneof the leading providers in
clinical simulation andeducation and anatomical
modeling.
Deb Tauber (03:41):
Good Glad you're happy.
Wendy LaGrande (03:44):
It's wonderful.
By joining forces with 3B, itreally allowed Walker to further
empower healthcareprofessionals and educators with
cutting edge training solutions.
The synergies between our twocompanies are really evident in
our shared dedication toimproving patient outcomes with
effective training, so it's beena great marriage for the two
companies.
Good, yeah, very exciting, yeah, really really exciting for us
(04:06):
to expand ourselves bothdomestically and globally in
clinical education andsimulation.
Deb Tauber (04:11):
Right Now.
Why don't you give us anoverview of the corporate
roundtables, especially what itis for those listeners who are
unfamiliar with it?
So break it down, please.
Wendy LaGrande (04:22):
Yeah, absolutely so.
In addition to my role atWalker, I actually served on the
executive committee for thecorporate roundtable as both the
chairperson for two years, thevice chair for a year and now
I'm the immediate past chair.
I'll get into a little bitabout what corporate roundtable
is in just a minute but just togive perspective, I also had the
privilege to serve on the SSHboard of Directors, which, as
(04:43):
the corporate roundtable chair,you are given a director at
large position on the SSH Boardof Directors.
So I worked under BarryEisenberg and Jane Smitten as
presidents in the SSH Board ofDirectors, which was an
incredible privilege.
As I'm sure you're aware,they're both two very prolific
people within the world ofclinical simulation and really
an honor to work under anincredible board.
(05:04):
With SSH I'm sure everybody'svery familiar SSH is our
affiliate organization thatbasically are our association
that really serves members infostering education,
professional development andadvancing research and
innovation in clinicalhealthcare and simulation.
It really promotes theprofession of healthcare
simulation through standards andethics and champions healthcare
(05:27):
simulation through advocatingsharing, facilitating and
collaborating.
That's really the focus of SSH.
So as such and they also put onIMSH and SimOps and the big
simulation events so in terms ofCorporate Roundtable.
Corporate Roundtable is anorganization within SSH that was
developed to fostercollaboration between the
(05:49):
industry partners socorporations, manufacturers,
distributors, et cetera and SSHand the society itself.
It's a platform that serves asa vital link between the
healthcare simulation industryand SSH, promoting innovation
and advancing the field ofhealthcare simulation.
So we are the corporate armunder the Society for Simulation
(06:10):
and Healthcare.
There are benefits to being partof Corporate Roundtable as
members the corporate membersand they include a lot of the
major players within simulation.
So you know companies likeMind3D, scientific, Walker,
Laird al, Gamard, SIMl ab ab ab,different companies like that
that are all involved ElevateHealthcare.
You know those companies.
They could be mannequincompanies AI ai companies,
(06:32):
hands-on tactile trainingcompanies v vr companies all
involved in Corporate Roundtable.
The benefits of being part ofCorporate Roundtable outside of
just exhibiting it at IMSH, is,you know they're great
networking opportunities.
Members can connect with otherindustry leaders, ssh executives
and, fostering that type ofrelationship Influence, we can
(06:52):
participate and shape the futureof healthcare simulation by
providing input on SSHinitiatives and industry
standards.
The visibility corporateroundtable members get
visibility within SSH community,access to the expertise of the
members that are part of SSH andthen just the ability for us to
have a dialogue and have equalrepresentation and participation
(07:13):
with SSH as industry partners.
So it's really a fantastic dualplatform that allows industry
to provide feedback to SSH andthe education clinical education
community, as well as to takethat feedback to SSH and the
education clinical educationcommunity, as well as to take
that feedback from thatcommunity and bring it back to
our manufacturing and productdevelopment.
Jerrod Jeffries (07:33):
And when was all this started, Wendy?
Wendy LaGrande (07:34):
So it was started.
The corporate roundtable wasstarted about 15 years ago and
it really gained a lot oftraction.
In the last five to seven yearsis really when kind of the
development of this has reallygone full force.
It started out as just a sowithin SSH they have committees
and task force.
It was started as a smallcommittee to just kind of bring
in some feedback and in the lastreally 10 years it's really
(07:58):
grown into a really big part ofthe overall SSH association.
Jerrod Jeffries (08:05):
I mean in that 15 slash 7 years.
How has it evolved from what itwas to maybe the adolescent
stage, to now more of the matureone?
Wendy LaGrande (08:15):
Yeah, absolutely so.
The vision behind CorporateRoundtable was to foster
industry collaboration andfacilitate the dialogue and
cooperation between SSH and keyindustry stakeholders.
When it first began its primaryfocus was on, you know, ssh was
really focused on the educationside of clinical simulation, so
setting standards foraccreditation, credentialing,
(08:36):
advocacy.
But as a society grew, therereally grew a need to better
communicate and collaborate withthe industry partners that
participate in IMSH and inproviding products for the
community.
But it was fairly limited interms of the industry's
participation in the society, tojust the main conference and
the main conferences andexhibiting and selling the
(08:57):
products to those marketchannels.
So the CR was developed tobroaden that relationship and
create a partnership betweenindustry and society.
And that's really where we aretoday, which is really fantastic
to see.
Deb Tauber (09:11):
It's fantastic and it's really needed, because we
need to bridge those gaps andtake from industry what you guys
have to offer, which is a lot.
Wendy LaGrande (09:21):
There is as much need for that duality as there
is for the education andtraining itself, Because if
industry is not creating theright products or we're not
meeting the needs of thetraining industry, then it
handicaps both sides.
You know, really handicapsclinical education.
So we need to have that kind ofplatform for that dialogue, to
have that knowledge exchangebetween the two entities.
Deb Tauber (09:44):
It's been fascinating to watch the shifts
over the last couple years frommere mannequins to so much more
with the virtual reality, mm.
Wendy LaGrande (09:55):
Exactly, yeah, it's been such a fascinating you
know, growth curve that we'veall seen simulation on in the
last, you know, 10 to 15 yearsand especially as we went
through, you know, events likeCOVID, where we saw a mass
exodus of practitioners and nowthe need to really accelerate
that clinical training and allowfor the advancement of
(10:18):
healthcare through education inmodalities that actually meet
that need, that kind ofaccelerated need and the ability
to utilize simulation.
When people couldn't be at thepatient bedside and couldn't do
clinical rounds when they weregoing through their education
processes, simulation was a hugepart of allowing that process
to still go forward and givingthose learners the accessibility
(10:41):
to the education platforms thatthey needed to be involved in,
because we all can't just learnin a classroom, especially in
clinical education.
So simulation really gave thatopportunity for those learners
to have hands-on practice whenthey couldn't be by patient
bedside.
So that's been great.
It's really important in termsof what Corporate Roundtable is
(11:01):
doing to shape the industriesand why it's important for
companies to be involved inplatforms like Corporate
Roundtable.
We have, I think, about 50members right now within the
community but that platform forknowledge exchange and sharing
insights and best practices andemerging trends in healthcare
simulation technology andmethodology is and best
practices and emerging trends inhealthcare simulation
technology and methodology is anongoing process and something
(11:23):
we need all people withinindustry to participate in, not
just mannequin companies or notjust people who are making those
task trainers but especiallynow, with AI and VR becoming
such an important part of theclinical education and
simulation process.
Deb Tauber (11:38):
And how can members get involved if they want to get
involved with the corporateround table.
Wendy LaGrande (11:42):
So the corporate round table is open to any
corporation or anybody who'sreally in the simulation
industry.
We have a liaison within SSH.
So within SSH there's alwaysfor all of the different
committees and groups there's astaff member that's part of the
SSH, that works for SSH, andthen there are liaisons like
myself who are the liaisonbetween the board of directors
(12:04):
and those different committeesso they can contact me.
Actually, I can provide theinformation as one of the
executive committee members orOlivia Fleener is her married
name now the one who runs IMSHshe actually can provide any
information to any corporationsthat are interested in and you
know I can provide thatinformation to you, deb, so you
can share that with yourlisteners too.
(12:25):
There's also information on theSSH website about Corporate
Roundtable.
You can go in and you can lookup the information there
information to join, what thebenefits are and what that looks
like for any company that'sinterested are and what that
looks like for any companythat's interested, because you
mentioned that there's 50-ishinvolved.
Jerrod Jeffries (12:43):
How's the interaction or how's that
involvement look like on anannual basis, or is it more
heavier at the conference side,or is it, and you also mentioned
?
Of course there's the SimOps.
There's the new website thatjust came out as well.
Obviously, the majority ofpeople know of IMSH, but how's
the frequency and what's thetempo of the interaction between
(13:05):
the different organizations?
Wendy LaGrande (13:08):
Yeah, so we actually have four meetings a
year.
They're quarterly.
We meet in person at IMSH.
It's about a two hour meetingat IMSH, which is the time that
we actually kind of go throughour goals from the previous year
, set the goals for the upcomingyear, about what we really want
to achieve with CorporateRoundtable.
Corporate Roundtable's goalsare always based around the SSH
strategic priorities.
(13:28):
So there's a strategic plan andstrategic priorities within SSH
and they involve advocacy fiveareas of focus advocacy,
research and innovation,education and learning,
credentialing and organizationalsustainability and growth.
So Corporate Roundtable alwaysfocuses their goals on around
those five strategic priorities.
(13:49):
So we set priorities thatreally help advance that
strategic plan and prioritiesfor the association and for
industry as well.
So we meet quarterly.
We meet in person at IMSH andthen we have a quarterly virtual
meeting with all the members tokind of review the goals,
review different taskssurrounding those goals and the
different plans that we have Forthis year.
(14:10):
We actually started last year.
One of the things that we puttogether was a workshop, an
industry workshop that wasspecific to research and
development, and we're actuallygoing to continue that going
forward each year.
We got such great feedback.
We had panelists such as RyanRivera and Harua Kuda and Barry
Eisenberg and John Laerdal,really talking about the R&D
(14:31):
process and how we could createa dialogue between industry and
the medical and educationcommunity to talk about how
products are developed and howfeedback and mechanisms could
actually be created so that wecould continue to provide the
best possible products and dowhat was needed in the clinical
education industry from aresearch and development
(14:52):
perspective to meet the needs ofthe industry.
Deb Tauber (14:55):
Very interesting.
Wendy LaGrande (14:56):
Yeah, it was really an exciting workshop.
We had phenomenal.
We had 15 amazing panelists.
We had a great attendance.
Very interesting actually.
A it's a pathway betweenSimVentors and the show floor.
So you've got these people whocome in with SimVentors and
(15:23):
they're, you know, typicallypeople who really have no idea
how to launch a product or doanything, but they've got these
great ideas.
And who better to help fosterand facilitate that?
But the industry partners.
So Corporate Roundtable isworking with Olivia and with SSH
to really do that and thetechnology committee of SSH to
really develop a great platform,sort of a shark tank platform,
(15:45):
to be able to help foster thatkind of development and
innovation.
Deb Tauber (15:50):
Now I think you might have touched on this, but
can you speak to some of themost impactful initiatives or
projects that the CR has beeninvolved with recently?
Wendy LaGrande (15:58):
Yeah, absolutely .
Initiatives or projects thatthe CR has been involved with
recently yeah, absolutely.
So some of the things thatwe've done you know we
participate in the virtuallearning labs that are put on
during the summer to introduceclinical educators to different
products and technologies thatare available to them.
We do, you know a lot of themare participating with the
(16:19):
what's new in sim showcase at iThey're they're able to do
learning labs at imsh iintroduce products and train
practitioners and and educatorson their different training
modalities, and then also ther&d workshop that I mentioned
and this kind of new processthat we're working on.
One of the biggest that justhappened was the corporate
(16:40):
roundtable was really involvedand prolific in the white paper
that was about technology andsimulation.
That was spearheaded by HaruOkuda and Ryan Rivera.
Ryan was actually the chair ofthe corporate roundtable prior
to me and on the board ofdirectors, and out of that came
the white paper that now we'veabout to basically go to
publication on.
So really about theadvancements of technologies in
(17:02):
simulation.
Deb Tauber (17:03):
Exciting.
Wendy LaGrande (17:04):
Very exciting.
Yeah, really looking forward toseeing that actually get
published and be available byIMSH of 2026.
Deb Tauber (17:13):
Now, how does the corporate roundtable influence
industry standards, bestpractices and policy decisions,
and do you have any examples ofthat?
Wendy LaGrande (17:39):
directors, and that's a really, really
impactful, important thing tohold, to be able to have a seat
at the table and have a voiceand be a mouthpiece for industry
in the board of directors, who,ultimately, is representing the
society right?
So that's a really incrediblething.
That was just instituted a fewyears back and it allows for
corporate roundtable andindustry to be directly involved
in the initiatives of thesociety, which include
(18:00):
government advocacy,accessibility to research,
accessibility to regulatoryagencies and things like that.
So recent initiatives by theboard have been to work with
government specifically toincrease awareness and funding
for clinical simulation.
So for there to be industryrepresentative on the board of
directors is really an impactfulway that we can actually
(18:20):
continue to influence bestpractices and policy decisions.
Jerrod Jeffries (18:25):
So I want to go back a little bit to the
innovation and scientificresearch as well.
So you mentioned I think therewere 15 individuals that were at
that R&D piece, and then alsoyou have a potential of a SIM
vendors platform.
That might be evolving, we cansee in the future, but what role
(18:47):
does the CR really play in that, as well as maybe the broader
industry with everything?
Wendy LaGrande (18:54):
Sure.
So the workshop that Imentioned, the R&D workshop, was
actually facilitated andconducted by the Corporate
Roundtable.
So myself and Dr Yue Dong, whois actually on the board of
directors and works at, Ibelieve, the Mayo Clinic, he and
I got together basicallythrough the board of directors
and he kind of came to me withquestions about, well, how does
(19:17):
industry create products and howdo you guys do your R&D
channels?
And what if I have a needthat's not being met, who would
I talk to?
And so we really that's kind ofopened the dialogue and I went
back to our industry partnersand I said, hey, there's a
disconnect here between thesetwo entities and we need to
create a platform where there isa dialogue about understanding
(19:39):
the R&D channels and productdevelopment and what is really
needed in the medical professionand in the clinical education
professions specific tosimulation.
And it was an amazing thing tosee how many people were so
willing to be involved in that.
I mean we had Barry Eisenberg,Dr Barry Eisenberg, Hiru Dr Hiru
(19:59):
Dr.
Hiru Okuda, John Ryan Rivera,john Laerdal President Neil
Weber, president of LaerdalDirector Peter McKay, director
of Doug at 3B, doug Lynn fromLoomis, lynn Welsh Anna Lucid
Labs, anna Lynn from Limbs andThings myself.
We were all part of this panelwhere we had, you know, people
who are medical practitioners,who are very involved in
(20:20):
simulation, as well as peoplefrom the industry, and then
people were able to come and askquestions and say, hey, if I've
got an idea, how would I dothis?
What are the things I need todo?
And it really created thisgreat dialogue and everybody was
so excited about it that wesaid, okay, we need to formalize
this.
It was, you know, it was ourinitial launch at this past IMSH
, and now, as we move into thenext year, we're really trying
to formalize it a little bitmore and allow us to expand that
(20:43):
platform and have people bringideas Out of that grew.
You know we have this.
The SimVentors has been going onat IMSH for quite some time and
it's a big part of the showfloor, the exhibit hall floor,
and you can have you can haveanybody who's trying to launch a
product or introduce an ideacan come and be part of
SimVentors.
But there's a big differencebetween that and then these big
(21:05):
companies that are exhibiting atIMSH, and so this new idea is
to create like a bridge betweenthose two where companies can
take a look at these ideas andreally foster and develop and
mentor some of these individualswho bring these ideas into
simulation.
So we're kind of taking thisworkshop and then putting it
into practice and potentiallycreating this kind of shark tank
(21:28):
scenario where people can pitchtheir ideas and really come and
talk about.
They had something called PitchRoom last year but not a lot of
people knew about it.
So we're kind of trying to takethat idea and really grow it
and allow industry to see whatthose ideas are out there and
where the gaps are and then takethat and really build on that
and create products that meetthat need.
Deb Tauber (21:51):
So will you have the Pitch Room this year as well?
Wendy LaGrande (21:54):
You know they're working on right now.
We're working on what kind ofthe idea behind why that was
done and what they're planningto do.
It's all kind of in thedevelopment phase right now.
So we're kind of trying to takewhat Corporate Roundtable did
and that idea and that workshopand what they did with the pitch
room and SimVentors andformalize it and combine it a
(22:17):
little bit better and in a waythat they can have a real impact
on both the clinical educationside and the association side,
as well as the industry side.
Deb Tauber (22:27):
Now, how do you see Corporate Roundtable addressing
emerging trends?
Wendy LaGrande (22:32):
So I mean basically by expanding Corporate
Roundtable and the society.
That's really what we need todo.
We need to just continue togrow the participation in
Corporate Roundtable and thesociety so we can further take
opportunities through thisplatform to work together and
create exposure to clinicalsimulation.
That's what we're all trying todo, because the challenge of
(22:52):
clinical educators and how toadvocate for them through
research and access to fundingthat'll have a major impact on
clinical education and trainingand thus better healthcare
overall and better patientoutcomes.
So that's really what we're alltrying to do.
So by growing both the CRplatform, the corporate
roundtable platform, theindustry involvement and the
(23:13):
association itself, it's goingto create better awareness for
both the industry and thehealthcare profession and the
clinical simulation professionso that we can actually have an
even bigger impact than we'realready having on healthcare.
Deb Tauber (23:26):
Now, when did you have like a favorite part of
being in the corporate roundtable?
What was your any good memoriesof it?
Wendy LaGrande (23:32):
I do so.
I got to know some amazingpeople within the industry, and
a lot of people within businessare in competition with each
other, right, so you could havea competitor out there that you
may not know personally.
You know their products and youknow they're your competitor.
But when you get into corporateround table, you're all equal.
You are there to furtherhealthcare education and you're
(23:55):
not necessarily competitors, butyou bring together ideas and
you talk about our industry as awhole and you create
camaraderie and friendship.
You know, and healthycompetition is good for
everybody and it's a way for usto actually all be on the same
page for the end game, which isreally improving healthcare.
And then I'll be totally honestbeing able to be part of the
(24:19):
board of directors was anincredible privilege and one of
my favorite parts.
And working with people whohave been in this industry for
so long Don Shokin, barryEisenberg, haru Akuda I mean
these incredible people who I'velearned so much from and been
able to just gain so muchpersonally as well as
professionally.
Deb Tauber (24:38):
Fantastic.
Thank you so much.
Are there any words that you'dlike to leave our listeners with
today?
Wendy LaGrande (24:45):
Yeah, absolutely .
This was so exciting for mebecause we're a big podcast
family.
I was laughing because my kids,you know they're like are you
going?
Jerrod Jeffries (24:52):
o J.
Wendy LaGrande (24:52):
R.
I said no, I'm going on thepodcast.
It's amazing.
I'm going on Joe Rogan.
I said no, I'm going on DebTauber's podcast.
Jerrod Jeffries (24:56):
It's amazing, I'm going on, s.
Wendy LaGrande (24:57):
e.
I can't wait, so I can't waittill we grow Sim Cafe to be as
big as you know, biglistenership as Joe Rogan, so
that we can bring more awarenessto how important clinical
simulation is and clinicaltraining.
You know there just, there'snot many things that are more
important than our health andtaking care of people.
And that's really what we do in,you know, clinical education,
(25:19):
whether it's from thepractitioner side, the educator
side or the industry side.
So I'm really, really lookingforward to seeing how this grows
on that higher bell curve evenin more in the next 10 years.
So I really appreciate you guysbringing awareness and bringing
this platform to so many people.
Deb Tauber (25:38):
Thank you.
Thank you for the kind words.
We really appreciate that.
Wendy LaGrande (25:41):
Love getting to know both of you guys over the
years.
We've known each other for manyyears and look forward to a lot
of fun IMSH and SimOps anddifferent opportunities to get
together again.
So many more to come and thanksfor the time.
Jerrod Jeffries (25:55):
Been a pleasure .
Wendy LaGrande (25:56):
Great to see you .
Thanks so much.
Thank you and happy simulating.
All right, you too.
Disclaimer/SimVS Ad/ Int (26:02):
Thanks to SimVS again for sponsoring
this week's episode.
To learn more about their newIV infusion pump simulators,
check out www.
simvscom.
s.
Thanks for joining us here atThe Sim Cafe.
(26:23):
We hope you enjoyed.
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