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Washington, D.C., Dec 10, 2007 - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04), Chairman of the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus, announced today that he has introduced bipartisan legislation with Congressman Patrick Kennedy (RI-01) to increase the use of medical modeling and simulation (M&S) across the United States. H.R. 4321, the Enhancing SIMULATION (Safety in Medicine Utilizing Leading Advanced Simulation Technologies to Improve Outcomes Now) Act of 2007 would help improve the quality of healthcare in the United States by reducing medical error and cutting healthcare costs.

“We need to take steps to improve healthcare in the United States and this legislation will help make measurable progress in our healthcare industry. The increased use of medical M&S has the potential to increase doctor skill and proficiency, save money, and, most importantly, save lives. Medical errors happen every day in this country and the results can be costly at best and fatal at worst,” said Forbes. “Giving doctors the opportunity to ‘practice’ new or sophisticated techniques will provide considerable benefits to the patients in the United States as well as advance the medical industry as a whole.”

According to a study done by the Institute of Medicine, between 44,000 and 98,000 people are killed every year in the United States due to medical errors. Even using the low estimate of 44,000 fatalities, medical errors would be the 8^th leading cause of death in the United States, killing more people that AIDS, breast cancer and motor vehicle accidents. Additionally, medical errors cost the United States up to $79 billion each year.

Medical simulation technologies – a relatively new field - currently have the capacity to provide training and feedback in which the learner practices tasks and processes in life-like scenarios using models or virtual reality. Hospitals that have already been funded under a trial U.S. Department of Defense program saw their clinical error rate decrease from 30.9 percent to 4.4 percent.

The legislation would provide measurable benefits to patients by improving patient safety, consumers and taxpayers by lowering costs, communities by the creation of more high-tech jobs, and physicians and insurers by lowering malpractice rates and claims.

The Enhancing SIMULATION Act of 2007 would:

• Creates medical modeling and simulation Centers of Excellence across America to provide leadership and research into advancing the field;
• Establish medical M&S grants for academic and professional organizations;
• Promote innovation in medical M&S with in the Department of Health & Human Services; and,
• Establish a coordinating council for federal government collaboration on medical M&S efforts.

Founded by Congressman Forbes in 2005, the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus serves as a venue for Members of Congress to discuss issues pertaining to modeling & simulation. The caucus has grown to 24 total members representing 12 states. To learn more about the Congressional M&S Caucus, visit: http://forbes.house.gov/Biography/mscaucus.htm.

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