HelpMeSee’s surgical training system is a breakthrough in standardized task-based medical training education.
(PRESS RELEASE) ORLANDO, FL — HelpMeSee, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to end global cataract blindness, has received the Modeling & Simulation Award from the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA).
“We are honored and grateful to the NTSA for this prestigious award,” said Bonnie An Henderson, M.D., president and CEO of HelpMeSee. “It is gratifying that our simulation, which is an integral component within our cataract training system, is being recognized by the medical education community.”
In recognizing HelpMeSee, the citation reads in part: “HelpMeSee has developed a high fidelity, physics-based VR simulator with realistic haptic feedback. The surgical training system is a breakthrough in standardized task-based medical training education. The instructor-led simulator training system is specifically designed for high-volume surgical training. This method boosts surgical accessibility and affordability by accelerated placement of skilled workforce where they are needed most. The comprehensive training system offers a scalable, risk-free, surgical education model, vastly reducing time and cost to attain objectively measured surgical proficiency. In 2022, they trained 1,529 ophthalmologists in Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery. This sight-restoring procedure takes as little as 5 minutes and costs as little as $25. There are 20 million people who suffer from cataract blindness awaiting treatment from well-trained cataract specialists throughout the world.”
The HelpMeSee training system has its roots in commercial aviation pilot training through its founders Al and Jim Ueltschi, his son. Al Ueltschi, who died in 2012, was an aviation training pioneer as the founder of FlightSafety International, the foremost commercial pilot training company. He was also a cofounder of Orbis International.
“An important solution to end cataract blindness is to increase access to skilled but affordable providers. Our innovative simulation-based training is designed to make that happen,” said Henderson. “HelpMeSee’s simulator provides realistic tactile feedback and visuals that mimic the experience of performing live surgery. It allows unlimited opportunities to practice without risk to patients.”
HelpMeSee’s training system is not just for novice surgeons, it offers training for practicing surgeons who want to pursue additional training.
“As the prevalence of cataract increases worldwide, the demand for cataract surgery will also rise. HelpMeSee is well-positioned to provide the necessary training, so patients, no matter their economic circumstance, have access to high-quality, low-cost treatment.”