Ventriloscope is a medical device company that manufactured one of the first healthcare simulation stethoscopes in 2008. Invented by Dr. Paul Lecat, the company’s scopes and accessories are backed by research, and the goal is to stress the importance of proper physical examinations and diagnosis. Vebntriloscope believes that the next frontier in mortality reduction will come by using clinical simulation training to help professionals recognize crucial findings and act early to prevent the next code.
At the time when Lecat established Ventriloscope, he was frustrated by the inability to incorporate realistic abnormal sounds in teaching. Created by a physician for clinicians, Ventriloscope’s guiding principle is that physical examination, when performed correctly, can reduce mortality through earliest recognition of deadly conditions. Through Lecat’s patented Ventriloscope technology, the stethoscope technology allows users to incorporate high-quality live recordings of abnormal patient pathologies and Korotkoff sounds into any teaching scenario.
For example, scenarios can include group learning, Standardized Patient Assessments, O.S.C.E.s and more. Since inception, Lecat’s Ventriloscope has introduced a variety of stethoscopes and accessories for teaching blood pressure and auscultation. In addition to being backed by research, Lecat’s Ventriloscope products are designed to benefit learners of various levels and programs, from basic fundamentals to specialty practices.
Another benefit of the Ventriloscope products are that they relay high-quality sounds. The Lecat library contains an extensive collection of high-quality live patient recordings of normal and abnormal heart, lung, bowel, bruit and Korotkoff sounds. There are no visual cues to assist learners extended by these products to encourage proper stethoscope placement. There is also a Heart Trigger Accessory that allows for synchronization of patient or manikin pulse. Ventriloscope LIVE allows for the stethoscope to operate as a normal stethoscope and obtain live patient sounds for added high-fidelity simulation.
In terms of versatility, the Ventriloscope can be used in classrooms or auditoriums, small groups, large groups, standardized patients or with any healthcare simulation mannequin. Users can incorporate any MP3 sound recording, including their own sound files. The sounds can be then played through a speaker for group learning.
The stethoscope simulation is compatible with audio-capture software platforms for high-stakes testing, and customizable so that users can create sounds to best fit their clinical simulation scenario. The ability to seamlessly compare sounds without delays is an added benefit of the Ventriloscope.
Operationally, the Ventriloscope is electronically complex but easy to operate. There is no recurring cost for accessories or maintenance, and sounds transmit using a cutting edge communications chip that is several generations beyond Bluetooth. The transmissions hop more than 30 frequencies per second, selecting the clearest channel. FCC and CE-approved, the company shares that more than 98% of Lecat’s products manufactured in the last 12 years are still working flawlessly today.
Ventriloscope Simulated Stethoscope Products
Newly developed, the Infant & Pediatric Ventriloscope allows users to simulate realistic, high quality, normal and abnormal pediatric sounds. This system includes both infant and adolescent LIVE heads, which allows users to hear live patient sounds or utilize the Ventriloscope’s live-patient recordings.
Lecat’s Dual Blood Pressure and Vital Signs Training System allows instructors to quickly and efficiently train and assess learners’ ability to take blood pressure and vital signs. The Dual BP and Vital Sign Training System has been used to successfully test 30 learners in 30 minutes.
The Ventrilophone System works just like Ventriloscope’s wireless version, the only difference being that the product is hardwired. Utilizing the same high-quality sound library of Lecat’s Ventriloscope, the tethered version is now one of the most economical healthcare simulation options on the market.
Lecat’s Master Clinician Stethoscope is a recording stethoscope for all levels. Using an Android device, users can immediately record live patient sounds. The Master Clinician Stethoscope also allows users to share sounds at the bedside with additional listeners.
Lecat’s Ventriloscope LIVE, the company’s newest healthcare simulation stethoscope, allows for users to combine the natural sounds of their standardized patient or manikin with the high quality sound library of Lecat’s original Ventriloscope. By simply rotating the head of the stethoscope 90 degrees, users can activate a live bell and diaphragm, or use the Ventriloscope transmitter to employ abnormal findings. This product simulates the heart, lungs, bowel, bruit, blood pressure and more.
As for accessories, Lecat’s Heart Trigger can be used as an extension to the Ventriloscope. Learners can use the Heart Trigger to sync their Ventriloscope to the heart rate of their standardized patient or manikin. Then they can accurately portray systolic or diastolic phenomena with the healthcare simulation stethoscope, and change the volume or character of a given murmur to simulate the changes with corresponding maneuvers by your standardized patient (handgrip, valsalva, squatting, etc.).
The Lung Trigger is another possible extension for the Ventriloscope. The Lung Trigger is the easiest way to synchronize a mannequin’s respiration to the Ventriloscope. This accessory is designed to be used with any mannequin with sack lungs.
Click Here to Connect to Leading Healthcare Simulation Vendors Like Ventriloscope
Lecat’s Survival Skills Assessment Program is designed to significantly increase the confidence in nursing program participants as measured by the National League of Nursing (NLN) validated scales. Each of the four cases includes full patient, instructor and student instructions, as well as prepared rating sheets and scoring rubric. The healthcare simulation cases are designed specifically for
- Students in “clinicals”
- Nursing internships
- Redemption
- Onboarding
- New Employee Assessment
- Performance improvement plans
To further promote healthcare simulation learning, a Clinical Skills Training System was created to help learners enhance their clinical simulation by making their lab portable and interactive. Now learners can unify their simulation with Lecat’s Ventrilosope and Lecat’s Ventrilophone. This system has been designed for individual practice or group learning.
Additionally, Lecats’s Ventriloscope developed a healthcare simulation training accessory known as VentriloCAST. This is a telesimulation accessory that connects the Ventriloscope’s handheld transmitter device directly to a smart device or PC. The healthcare simulation educator now has the ability to simultaneously send the abnormal sound to the Ventriloscope and or into the Zoom or any web-based conference. VentriloCAST can also be used to send sounds through the institution’s video debriefing system, allowing them to be recorded for review or live feed of a clinical simulation.
More About Paul Lecat, MD, FACP, FAAP
Dr. Lecat works at NEOMED’s College of Medicine, where he is a professor of internal medicine, pediatrics, and family and community medicine. He has practiced internal medicine and pediatrics at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Dr. Lecat earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at Tulane University, where he was recognized with honors. He was also named Salutatorian in the Doctor of Medicine Program at the University at Buffalo (SUNY).
