Hospital in Poland is First Teaching Institution to Use Haag-Streit's Eyesi Indirect Ophthalmoscope ROP Simulators

Haag-Streit announced it has enabled trainee ophthalmologists across Poland to become competent in the skills required for effective ROP examination in a lifelike, yet risk-free, environment. The University Clinical Hospital, Poland, will be the first teaching institution globally to use four Eyesi Indirect Ophthalmoscope ROP Simulators (Eyesi Indirect ROP), which will be used to train ophthalmologists in Warsaw, Kraków, Katowice, and Poznań.

The ROP screening exam is a long-held source of stress for trainee ophthalmologists. The exam requires a steady, precise hand, and should be carried out swiftly in order to reduce stress on the infant. However, until now, trainees have had no option but to practise directly on the patient, under the eye of the examiner, according to Haag-Streit.

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (GOCC), also known as the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy (WOŚP) in Polish, is a public benefit organization in Poland. Founded in 1993 by Jurek Owsiak, the foundation works to enhance health services. WOŚP partnered with simulation equipment supplier ABJ Vision to find a solution, which is now in place at the hospital’s four main branches.

Thanks to the ROP simulator, trainees can now sit at a simulator and learn the required skills without causing any stress to patients. The simulator enacts relevant aspects of the real examination scenario. A feedback and evaluation loop means that trainees can work through the required courseware, learn how they have performed, and systematically improve their skills.

"Having this information to hand in an intuitive online portal makes monitoring the progress of each class a straightforward activity, rather than an administrative chore," Haag-Streit stated in a company news release. "Only when the educator is happy that the student has reached the required skill level—after passing the theoretical tests—will they be able to graduate to real-life examinations."

"This is a very exciting moment for Haag-Streit. With the Eyesi Indirect ROP bridging the gap between theory and practice, many more trainees in Poland – and indeed, around the world – can prepare for more precise examinations in real-life scenarios," Manuela Sutter-Meler, Director of Sales at Haag-Streit Simulation, said in the news release. "We thank our partners, ABJ Vision, who have been with us every step of the way, and to Jurek Owsiak and the entire team from the WOŚP foundation for financing this pioneering investment.”