Simulated Patient (SP)

Categories: Ahrq

Note: this term is often synonymous with Standardized Patient

Etym. simulated (adj.) 1620s, “feigned,” past participle adjective from simulate (v.). Meaning “imitative for purposes of experiment or training” is from 1966; commercial jargon, “artificial, imitation” by 1942.

Etym. patient (n.) “suffering or sick person under medical treatment,” late 14c., from Old French pacient (n.), from the adjective, from Latin patientem.

Definition

A person who has been carefully coached to simulate an actual patient so accurately that the simulation cannot be detected by a skilled clinician. In performing the simulation, the SP presents the gestalt of the patient being simulated; not just the history, but the body language, the physical findings, and the emotional and personality characteristics as well (Barrows, 1987). Often used interchangeably with standardized patients in the USA and Canada, but in other countries simulated patient is considered a broader term than standardized patient, because the simulated patient scenario can be designed to vary the SP role in order to meet the needs of the learner.

An individual who is trained to portray a real patient in order to simulate a set of symptoms or problems used for health care education, evaluation, and research (Society for Simulaton in Healthcare).

SPs can be used for teaching and assessment of learners including but not limited to history/consultation, physical examination, and other clinical skills in simulated clinical environments Association of Standardized Patient Education (ASPE). SPs can also be used to give feedback and evaluate learner performance (Association of Standardized Patient Education).

See also: ACTOR, CONFEDERATE, EMBEDDED PARTICIPANT, ROLE PLAYER, SIMULATED PERSON, STANDARDIZED PATIENT.