Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) Healthcare Simulation and Bioskills Training Center (HSBTC), was awarded reaccreditation for five years by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), Jan. 24.

The center’s mission is to provide high-quality, customer-centered healthcare simulation and tissue-based training to advance readiness through enhanced medical education and patient safety. They do this through three primary lines of operation: Graduate Medical Education Support, Patient Safety/Skills Sustainment Initiatives, and Combat Casualty Care training.

“The HSBTC was originally accredited through the American College of Surgeons as a Comprehensive Education Institute in 2015 and has remained accredited since,” said Rebecca Kiser, HSBTC’s lead nurse educator. “Our survey in September of 2023 resulted in accreditation through December 2028.”

ACS-Accredited Education Institutes (ACS-AEIs), like HSBTC, undergo a rigorous application and evaluation process to ensure high standards are maintained in all phases of learning. According to the ACS report, following the September 2023 survey and secondary review, no areas of non-compliance were found within the center. Dr. Robert Bailey and the ACS Board noted that there were several ‘Best Practices’ being done by the HSBTC staff.

The ’Best Practice’ items mentioned included the HSBTC Curriculum Development Plan (CDP) was outstanding; having highly qualified nurse educators involved directly in the CDP review process is also a tremendous benefit and it was an excellent model; and fundamentals of HSBTC’s healthcare simulation is an excellent opportunity for faculty development.



“The HSBTC is critical to the medical center's north star missions of training the next generation of military medicine and ensuring that our clinicians can sustain and expand their skills through simulation,” said Capt. Brian Feldman, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth director/Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Portsmouth commander. “The team has supported over 95,000 clinicians since its inception in 2006, advancing readiness, improving health and staff experience through enhanced customized medical/clinical education, directly supporting the hospital’s culture of safety.”

Feldman added that the center’s team also fosters development of research and training partnerships as a leading validation laboratory for healthcare training technology and is a recognized Center of Excellence for combat casualty care simulation supporting 14 Graduate Medical Education programs and mass casualty exercises with operational platforms.

NMCP is a nationally acclaimed, state-of-the-art military treatment facility, and its Branch and TRICARE Prime Health Clinics in the Tidewater area provide medical care for warfighters, veterans, and their families. Additionally, the medical center is a premier readiness and training platform that provides superior medical training for military medical service members at the United States’ oldest, continuously operating military hospital. NMCP supports pioneering research and teaching programs to prepare new doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and hospital corpsmen for combat operations and public health crises.