Chulalongkorn University Launches “ER-VIPE,” a VR Innovation for Interprofessional Emergency Team Training to Enhance Patient Safety
Because Every Minute in the ER Matters, the Chulalongkorn University Design for Society Center (CUD4S), in collaboration with the Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital of the Thai Red Cross Society, has launched the “ER-VIPE” (Emergency Room – Virtual Interprofessional Education), an innovative medical education tool.
Using virtual simulation technology, ER-VIPE is designed to train interprofessional teams—doctors, nurses, pharmacists, radiologic technologists, and more—for handling emergency patients. The goal is to improve teamwork, communication, and patient safety while minimizing human errors.
Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Director, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
The launch was accompanied by the academic forum “ER-VIPE: Developing Healthcare Teams for Sustainable Patient Safety” and the TeamSTEPPS Essential and IPE Virtual Simulation Workshop (Cohort 2) held on August 4, 2025, at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The event was presided over by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chanchai Sittipunt, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Director of the hospital.
Innovation That Combines Heart, Head, and Hands
Director of Academic Affairs, Emergency Medicine Department, and Project Leader, ER-VIPE
Asst. Prof. Dr. Khuansiri Narajeenron, Director of Academic Affairs, Emergency Medicine Department, and Project Leader, described ER-VIPE as a “Med-Edutainment Technology” that merges:
- HEART – Inspirational film content
- HEAD – Medical knowledge via MOOC
- HAND – Interactive simulation-based gameplay
This educational design offers realistic emergency scenarios to build team-based non-technical skills using the TeamSTEPPS framework (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety). It supports interprofessional collaboration (IPC) so that health professionals can communicate, make decisions, and act effectively under pressure.
“Patient care doesn’t depend on who is the most skilled—it depends on how well the team works together. Studies show that most medical errors are not due to a lack of knowledge but due to poor teamwork.” – Asst. Prof. Dr. Khuansiri Narajeenron
Addressing a Critical National Issue
- Thailand sees over 400,000 cases/year of unsafe medical care.
- Economic loss exceeds 9.6 billion baht annually.
- Globally, deaths from medical errors are 10,000 times higher than airplane crashes.
The ER-VIPE system allows healthcare professionals to train in a safe, virtual environment without endangering real patients. Participants receive feedback and performance analysis via digital tools.
Research findings:
- Reduces medical errors by an average of 3.5 cases/month
- Decreases patient deaths by 2.3 cases/month
- Increases patient satisfaction by nearly 1% monthly
CUD4S and Chula Promote National Expansion
Dr. Tatsawan Preedawiphat, Director of CUD4S, emphasized that design isn’t just about architecture—it’s also about systems that improve lives. ER-VIPE, as a social enterprise model, integrates healthcare, education, and technology to address systemic healthcare safety gaps.
Piloted in five hospitals, the program showed:
- 28% improvement in communication
- 38 fewer critical errors in ER scenarios
- Significant reduction in staff burnout
National Policy Discussions: Toward “Zero Harm 2030”
The event marked the first forum gathering leaders from nine major health professional organizations to discuss scaling ER-VIPE to a national health system level:
- Training in all healthcare institutions
- MOUs with key organizations
- Nationally recognized continuing education credits (CME, CNE, etc.)
- Inclusion in health sciences higher education curriculum
Nine participating professional organizations:
- The Medical Council of Thailand
- The Nursing Council
- The Pharmacy Council
- The Medical Technology Council
- The Radiological Technology Council
- The Division of Medical Facilities, Ministry of Public Health
- The College of Emergency Physicians of Thailand
- The Hospital Administrators Association
- The Healthcare Accreditation Institute
They collectively agreed that interprofessional teamwork and communication are crucial to patient safety, and fragmented systems and communication breakdowns are major causes of errors—not individual incompetence.
A Path Toward Safer Healthcare
The panel proposed national adoption of TeamSTEPPS and Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) principles, integrated into:
- Health Service Plans
- Professional training
- Hospital Accreditation (HA) standards
They also urged the government to support policy and resources for sustainable improvement in patient care and workforce well-being.
Contact Information
Chulalongkorn University Design for Society (CUD4S)
Tel: 0-2218-4316
Line OA: @cud4s
Email: contact@cud4s.ac.th
Website: http://www.ervipe.com
