SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – The board of directors of Regional West Foundation is pleased to announce it has contributed $25,000 to the SIM-NE program through the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Simulation in Motion-Nebraska, also known as SIM-NE, is a statewide, mobile education system, which brings state-of-the-art, hands-on training using high fidelity human patient simulators, to pre-hospital and hospital professionals throughout the state. The simulators are some of the most technologically advanced training tools available to the medical community today. 

“The simulation labs are 44 foot trucks with two simulation spaces: an emergency room and an ambulance module. One of the four SIM-NE trucks developed for the statewide program is housed at the Harms Advanced Technology Center at Western Nebraska Community College and serves Nebraska’s 22 western counties,” said Darla Heggem, director of development for the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Regional West Foundation has long supported efforts to improve trauma and emergency care in western Nebraska, beginning with the foundation’s $1.2 million campaign to establish the Regional Trauma Network in 1993. The foundation’s contribution to the SIM-NE program reflects its continuing commitment to save lives by investing in regional trauma services.

“Regional West Foundation is thrilled and honored to partner with the University of Nebraska Foundation in helping to deliver much needed training to health care professionals in rural and western Nebraska. The simulation technology is a game-changer,” said Regional West Foundation chair John Massey.

SIM-NE delivers quality education to providers who otherwise would not have opportunities to attend simulation training. The program provides standardized, high quality training to ensure consistent outcomes, to rural EMS agencies, and critical access hospital emergency rooms across the state.

“We are very grateful for the investment that Regional West Foundation has made in supporting the life-saving training that medical first responders are receiving right now because of SIM-NE,” said Project Director Brian Monaghan, NRP, MPA. “Their gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation means we’ll be able to provide our advanced, onsite training and education to many more health care professionals in western Nebraska and beyond.”

As the lead Level II Trauma Center in Nebraska's Region 4, Regional West supports the 16-county trauma region with outreach, pre-hospital training, education, performance improvement, and injury prevention activities. The SIM-NE program will further enhance training opportunities for the region’s pre-hospital services for the benefit of all who live in and visit western Nebraska.

“This is a perfect example of collaboration at its best − the University of Nebraska Foundation, the Helmsley Charitable Trust, UNMC, Regional West Foundation, and others make it possible to revolutionize the delivery of emergency patient care training in rural Nebraska. This will have a huge impact on rural health care,” said Julie Marshall, Regional West Foundation director of development.

To learn more about Regional West Foundation, call 308-630-2244 or visit RegionalWestFoundation.org.

Regional West Foundation raises, manages and distributes funds to enhance the services, programs, and projects of Regional West Health Services. The foundation supports projects to strengthen health care services that are essential to the quality and growth of our local medical community, including new technology, building improvements, and health education scholarships.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 providers, and over 2,000 employees, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.