On Oct. 10, Phoenix Children’s Hospital was gifted a $50,000 donation from the Republic Services Charitable Foundation to support the development of the hospital’s Simulation Training Lab.

According to a press release, Republic Services is part of the environmental services industry and charitable giving is an integral part of the company’s operations. Based in Phoenix, Republic Services believes it is essential to be integrated into the communities in which their employees live and work. That means committing to communities through donated products and services, volunteer opportunities for employees and granted funds, like the donation to Phoenix Children’s.

“Republic Services is proud to support Phoenix Children’s and grateful for all the hope and help they bring to families throughout our hometown,” Jon Vander Ark, president and CEO of Republic Services, said in the release. “The Republic Services Charitable Foundation is a vital part of who we are, and its positive impacts are embedded into our long-term sustainability goals.”

The donation was made possible through a partnership with The PCH50, also known as The Fifty. The PCH50 has a mission to harness the energy, enthusiasm and experience of 50 driven community leaders as the next generation of supporters of Phoenix Children’s. The PCH50 committed to raise $1 million in 2022 to support the development of a Simulation Training Lab at the hospital. This latest donation from Republic Services means they are halfway to that goal.

“The simulation lab will allow doctors to practice the newest and most groundbreaking techniques so they can perfect their skills for real life situations,” Barry Goodrich, president of the PCH50, said in the release. “Even more lives will be saved with this new resource.”

A simulation program allows health care teams to practice and deliver the best care for every patient they see. Utilizing various technologies, including lifelike mannequins of children and reproductions of body areas where surgery is commonly performed, the simulation science recreates critical health care scenarios. With the integration of existing 3D printing available at Phoenix Children’s, doctors will also be able to plan their surgical approach and practice with their operating room teams. Having an on-site simulation center at Phoenix Children’s will allow surgeons to advance their techniques and lifesaving skills.

“Our doctors and surgeons are the very best and having these necessary tools available can mean life-saving results,” Dr. Daniel J. Ostlie, surgeon-in-chief and chair of surgery for Phoenix Children’s, said in the release. “We are so grateful for our partners over at Republic Services and the PCH50 whose passion in helping fund this simulation lab is truly incredible.”

Surgeons will also be outfitted with commercially available stress and heart rate monitors, such as watches, and will receive feedback of their own physiologic response to high stress scenarios so that they can improve their performance. They will also have access to video debriefings once they complete a simulation lab and can be “coached” on how to improve.

For more information about the PCH50, visit www.thepch50.com/. For more information about Republic Services visit RepublicServices.com.