by Janae Lindsley
December 12, 2023
In the healthcare sector, credentials, certifications, accreditation, and endorsements are vital to demonstrating expertise, excellence, and credibility of individuals or institutions. They can also be an avenue for generating non-dues revenue for an association. The International Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL), an association dedicated to advancing the art and science of healthcare simulation, came to Smithbucklin in 2021 to address the organization’s vision and strategic plans for the future.
INACSL strived to find its unique place within the healthcare market, all while aiming to increase usership of implementing healthcare simulation best practices. Through a strategic approach, INACSL and Smithbucklin created a plan to achieve these goals together.
The INACSL Board of Directors expressed interest in exploring the following ideas:
- Making contributions to the healthcare simulation industry that differed from existing opportunities
- Deciphering whether a certification program was beneficial for the organization and its mission
- Generating non-dues revenue for INACSL through a formal program
First, INACSL worked with Denise Roosendaal, FASAE, CAE, vice president, association management and a Smithbucklin executive director serving the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (I.C.E.), to understand the differences between credentialing and accreditation and what INACSL could offer the industry to differentiate itself from other organizations or programs. Through this exercise, INACSL determined its members would find more benefit and opportunity through an established endorsement program for institutions rather than an accreditation program focused on the individual.
The INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement program is designed to recognize healthcare institutions and practices that have demonstrated excellence in applying four of the simulation standards outlined in INACSL’s Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice™ (HSSOBP™) in their educational simulation programs. Recognizing the Healthcare Simulation Standards are aspirational and that context, resources, accreditation needs, and other factors may affect the implementation and attainment of the Healthcare Simulation Standards, the endorsement publicly recognizes institutions that excel in creating simulation experiences that enhance learning, promote professional development, and/or advance the science of simulation. Organizations who receive the endorsement demonstrate a commitment to pursue and sustain excellence in the aforementioned four standards, designated as the “Cornerstone” Healthcare Simulation Standards.
To participate in the endorsement program, INACSL established an outlined procedure for interested applicants to submit a letter of intent, and in turn, they would receive the official application. In an effort to find the most dedicated partners, INACSL and Smithbucklin created a highly comprehensive application requiring documents, paperwork, and examples of lived experiences and scenarios to help determine whether the applicant is a strong fit to receive the endorsement. A task force of INACSL members established a description of the endorsement program and criteria, and volunteers were broken out into criteria writing groups for each of the four “Cornerstone” standards.
The INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement went live in March 2022, and all organizations that applied to the endorsement program were invited to participate in the launch. The task force looked to include organizations from multiple settings to capture a wide range of potential audiences. Once the application process closed, feedback was collected from the pilot group to revise and enhance the application process for the fall 2022 launch, as INACSL currently has two endorsement cycles per year.
Since the initial launch in 2022, INACSL’s endorsement program generated over $50,000 in non-dues revenue and a total of 43 submissions to date. As the association continues to see interest in the endorsement, INACSL prioritized working with its committees to develop a consulting service for international groups and members interested in the endorsement program. Although applications are required to be submitted in English at this time, a key component of this initiative included recruiting Spanish-speaking individuals to review applications. A long-term goal for the program is to solidify a process that allows applications to be submitted and approved in any language.
The current endorsement committee consists of five members and INACSL’s fall 2023 cycle had a total of 15 reviewers, which includes a combination of standing committee members and highly qualified volunteers who are familiar with or have previously experienced the endorsement process.
In its first year alone, INACSL’s endorsement program generated over $50,000 in non-dues revenue and a total of 43 submissions to date. As the association continues to see interest in the endorsement, INACSL prioritized working with its committees to develop a consulting service for international groups and members interested in the endorsement program. Although applications are required to be submitted in English at this time, a key component of this initiative included recruiting Spanish-speaking individuals to review applications. A long-term goal for the program is to solidify a process that allows applications to be submitted and approved in any language.
Janae Lindsley is in Association Management at Smithbucklin.
Gina Brennan is in Corporate Marketing at Smithbucklin.
Janae Lindsley
(she/her)
Association Management
Smithbucklin
Gina Brennan
(she/her)
Association Management
Smithbucklin