Students at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic School of Dental Medicine work on real patients but not until their third year.
“Before we turn them loose on patients, we like for them to practice on people that won’t complain or sue us,” joked Dean Thomas Yoon. “Our first and second year students spend time learning on mannequins. They’re very lifelike.”
The simulation lab at LECOM was one of three stops on an “Innovations in Healthcare Training” road show hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance on Aug. 23.
The group of about 25 alliance members also stopped at the Manatee County EMS station on Malachite Drive and the Medical Technology and Simulation Center at the State College of Florida’s Lakewood Ranch campus.
“Our Economic Impact Committee put on the road shows for us. We’ve done the airport, Port Manatee and the library,” LWRBA President Brittany Lamont said. “This road tour is about healthcare advancements. That Lakewood Ranch gets to be a pilot study for this (drone) is awesome. It’s the first in the nation.”
Manatee County commissioners approved a pilot program to test a life-saving drone at the Lakewood Ranch EMS station in April. The program will run for one year.
The drone is stocked with a tourniquet to treat a wound, an automated external defibrillator to stop a cardiac arrest and a bottle of Narcan to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
While it has yet to be deployed, the drone has the ability to cut the average EMS response time from eight minutes to under two. Alliance members were given a demonstration.
All phones were pointed to the air as the drone flew overhead to a field across the street. Once the drone hit its targeted coordinates, a small, black box lowered to the ground on a tether and then dropped the payload of medical supplies.
The last healthcare stop of the day was at the State College of Florida to see how the next generation of nurses are being trained.
Debbie Shaffer, a member of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, is excited to see the drone in action.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Phones are pointed to the air as the drone takes off for a demonstration. The drone has not been deployed yet, but is intended to assist on calls for drug overdoses, wounds and cardiac arrests.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance gets a demonstration of how the EMS drone drops a payload.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Gordon Folks gives alliance members a demonstration of the drone that's being tested at the EMS station as part of a pilot program. The drone is stocked with items to treat drug overdoses, wounds and cardiac arrests.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Sean Dwyer, assistant chief of special operations for Manatee County's Emergency Medical Services, shows alliance members vending machines in the Malachite Drive EMS station that are stocked with medical supplies.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Manatee County's EMS Chief James Crutchfield speaks to the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance about the drone pilot program on Aug. 23.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
A group of LECOM students are in the middle of class as the alliance tours the simulation lab.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
LECOM students don't have to fear hurting their patients when working in the simulation lab. Each student is provided their own simulated patient.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Kent Jimson, a Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance board member, has questions during the tour at LECOM.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The simulation lab at LECOM is one of three stops during the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's road show.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Bruce Loeppke and Nick Choat are one of 25 Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance members that signed up for the road show on Aug. 23.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
LECOM Director of Simulation Inessa Slipak speaks with Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance member John Holz. Holz is a partner at Plunkett Raysich Architects, the firm that designed the simulation lab.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is the second stop on the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's road show tour on Aug. 23.
Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.
