Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC)

Celebrating 5 Years of Innovation: 2014–2019

The Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC) on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus is the most technologically advanced surgery simulation facility in the region. The center provides surgeons, surgical residents and surgical teams unsurpassed real-time surgical training and education to improve skills, allow for observation and evaluation, and provide teambuilding opportunities to benefit patient care and safety.

The 6,900-square-foot facility, which opened in June 2014, combines a classroom and a large centralized skills training area with a high-fidelity operating room environment, including pre-operative and post-anesthesia care unit bays, two functional endoscopic ORs and state-of-the-art observation and recording capabilities.

Other essential equipment includes instrumentation for standard open and laparoscopic surgeries, laparoscopic/endoscopic physical and virtual reality trainers, high-fidelity, interactive mannequins and robotic simulators.

The Center's primary goal is to optimize the care of patients and minimize adverse outcomes through simulation-based education and training. Continued improvements in efficiency and quality are also expected as surgical teams hone their skills to become even more effective work teams.

The skills acquisition and team building garnered through a surgical simulation center such as ASTEC are proven to help enhance patient safety and are encouraged by patient outcomes and safety organizations such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Participating in the grand opening of the Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC) are (l. to r.) Patrick Christiansen, CEO of Inova Fairfax Hospital, John Moynihan, MD, Chief of Surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital, Russell Seneca, MD, and Knox Singleton, CEO, Inova.

View our ASTEC virtual gallery