Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, OtoSim Inc. is a healthcare simulation company focused on otoscopy and ophthalmoscopy training. The company’s simulation units and processes can be used to train medical learners in otoscopy, or the use of an otoscope to examine the ear.
According to OtoSim, clinical studies have shown a 44% improvement in the diagnostic efficiency of learners who used the company products for training compared to regular classroom training alone. For this reason, the company’s goal has remained to enhance patient safety outcomes through better training of primary healthcare providers, with effective and innovative medical simulation tools.
To date, OtoSim’s medical training technologies have been adopted in Canada, the United States and elsewhere globally by medical schools, nursing schools, physician assistant programs and allied health programs, as well as teaching hospitals and clinics. Technologies created and distributed by the company continue to benefit the healthcare disciplines of medicine, nurse practitioners, optometry, osteopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine and audiologists daily.
OtoSim Company History
Launched in September 2011, OtoSim’s creation was based on technology developed by two Otolaryngologists at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and the University of Toronto Medical School, Vito Forte MD, FRCSC and Paolo Campisi MSc, MD, FRCSC. They recognized that otoscopy was one of the worst acquired medical techniques, and sought out to change this notion.
Yet to truly improve otoscopy learning, they needed to address the problem in ophthalmoscopy training and increasing diagnostic accuracy. Helping them with this element of product development, Director of Undergraduate Medical Education for the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto, Kenneth Eng MD, FRCSC, DABO, provided his ophthalmology perspective to develop OphthoSim.
Ultimately, the OtoSim device was pioneered to resolve the lack of otoscopy learning techniques and proved company value through a scientific study assessing OtoSim products. Proving that a profitable medical teaching tool that verifiable learning was born with OtoSim, in the company’s early years, OtoSim Inc. saw sales over $0.5 million in 2012 and over $1 million in 2013.
This is because one year after foundation the company released the Pneumatic Otoscopy trainer in September 2012, followed by the Ophthalmology trainer in June 2013. Following the release of these two products, a Mass Training upgrade was launched in the third quarter of 2014. Moving forward, OtoSim has a pipeline of updates and new products under development
Based on customer feedback and demand, OtoSim continues to refine these initial products, and more recently released the OtoSim2 and adding PneumatoSim. The company also developed the Educators Toolkit, allowing teachers to create their own curriculum, while using their own images and material.
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Further recognizing the complexities and fiscal realities involved in institutional curriculum development, OtoSim developed the cloud and web-based products, OtoSim Mobile and OtoSim Educators Portal. These innovative, interactive products convert any smartphone or tablet into a portable healthcare simulator, allowing learners to receive otoscopy instruction from anywhere at any time, and at any pace. The OtoSim Mobile and the OtoSim Educators Portal were also designed to help make the educational experience enjoyable, efficient and economical.
All of these products were developed in conjunction with key educators and clinicians from the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Along with these partnerships, OtoSim continues to look for investment to accelerate the commercialization of the company’s research and development pipeline, and to boost sales and marketing activities.
OtoSim Otoscopy Simulation Training Solutions
The OtoSim 2 is an otoscopy healthcare simulation trainer built for teaching and testing otoscopy skills. Used by over 500 programs worldwide, the OtoSim 2 offers 380 high-resolution simulation images from the Hawke Library to instruct and test learners. This product also helps instructors save time by allowing them to connect up to 14 OtoSim units to a single trainer laptop for group training.
Able to verify learner progress via an instrumented otoscope, OtoSim trainees can point with the device to complete the learning feedback loop through a simulation recording system. In addition to offering simulation debriefing, the OtoSim 2 is also built to improve viewer retention through immersive full-screen experience with a simple, easy-to-use graphical user interface.
The OphthoSim Ophthalmoscopy Training and Simulation System is a hands-on medical simulation system that works to transform how learners come to specifically diagnose and treat eye pathologies. This product’s proprietary software and accompanying tools empower learners to actively diagnose real-world eye conditions within a simulated environment. The tools are also to assist learners in practicing monocular vision and improving their ophthalmoscopic and fundoscopic techniques, while tracking movements and orientation
The OtoSim Mobile is a complete otoscopy skills trainer that is iOS and ANdroid compatible, available in handheld for tabletop form and that works across devices to teach over 40 types of pathology and conveys over 400 otologic cases. Learners can use the product to test themselves with quizzes and exams. The OtoSim mobile kit includes a clip-on phone attachment, a Silicone Earform (right ear only), a functional otoscope for training purposes, a customized suction stand, a customized clamp stand, a leather travel bag, a 1-year hardware warranty and a 3-year software subscription.
Similarly, the OphthoSim Mobile transforms a smartphone into a hand-held ophthalmoscopy medical simulator delivering a complete cloud-based curriculum. Along with a clip-on phone for tablet attachment, customized suction stand, customized clamp stand, leather travel bag, 1-year hardware warranty, and a 3-year software subscription, the OphthoSim Mobile additionally comes with an adjustable iris diaphragm and a functional ophthalmoscope for training purposes.
The OtoSim Mobile Educators Portal and the OphthoSim Mobile Educators Portal are online educational platforms for mobile otoscopy and ophthalmoscopy clinical simulation. These Educators Portals are designed specifically for clinical educators who teach otoscopy and ophthalmoscopy as part of a medical education curriculum, a clinical training program or a CME course. The Portals give clinical educators full control over their curriculum to easily create and customize lectures, quizzes and exams, connect with learners and track and monitor learner performance in real-time.
PneumatoSim is an add-on to the OtoSim 2, and focuses on pneumatic otoscopy. The product comes with a pneumatic ear with pressure hose, pneumatic otoscope, PneumatoSim software and manual on USB key, 1-year warranty and protective case. The pneumatic ear is easily interchangeable with the regular ear on the OtoSim base unit and allows learners to make a proper seal at the opening of the ear canal with the pneumatic otoscope.
Healthcare Simulation conferences such as SimGHOSTS, IMSH, and INACSL are great places to see Otosim products in person!
