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How to Compare Healthcare Simulation Manikin Brands: A Vendor-Neutral Checklist
Most simulation manikin purchases start with the wrong question. Committees ask “which brand is cheapest?” or “which brand do we already know?” before they’ve established what the program actually needs from a simulator over a five-to-ten-year horizon. The result is a purchase that may underperform the curriculum or require a replacement cycle that was not fully anticipated.
This checklist provides procurement teams and simulation leaders with a structured framework for comparing simulation manikin brands based on the criteria that most directly influence long-term value.
Why Brand Comparison Requires More Than a Spec Sheet
Spec sheets are a starting point, not a decision tool. They describe what a simulator can do under ideal conditions, but they do not reflect how systems perform in real-world program use, including high-frequency scenarios, faculty workflows, or integration with institutional systems.
A structured evaluation process helps fill those gaps. It also supports more objective decision-making by anchoring discussions to criteria defined by the institution before vendor demonstrations begin.
Criterion 1: Clinical Scope and Simulation Manikin Range
The first question is whether a vendor’s portfolio supports your full clinical curriculum, not just your most immediate use case.
Ask each vendor: Does your portfolio include adult, OB, pediatric, and neonatal simulators? Does it support both high-fidelity and mid-fidelity training needs? Can a single-vendor relationship scale as my program expands into additional specialties?
For example, the Elevate Healthcare (formerly CAE Healthcare) portfolio includes Evo, Ares, and Apollo for adult simulation, Lucina for obstetric training, Aria for pediatric care, Luna for neonatal scenarios, and Juno for mid-fidelity clinical skills. Programs building or expanding multi-specialty simulation centers may find value in sourcing across a unified portfolio that supports continuity in service, training, and software integration.
Criterion 2: Physiological Realism
Realism influences how effectively learners transfer skills to clinical environments. A simulator that produces visual outputs without dynamic physiological response can limit the depth of scenario-based learning.
Ask each vendor: Does the simulator model physiology dynamically, or rely on scripted responses? How does it respond to incorrect interventions? Can it support concurrent monitoring such as ventilation, medication administration, and patient monitoring?
For example, HPS is the only simulator on the market that can consume real oxygen and produce carbon dioxide. It models gas exchange the way a real patient does. For programs focused on critical care, anesthesia, or advanced airway management, physiological fidelity is an important factor to evaluate alongside other design considerations.
Criterion 3: Platform Integration and Simulation Manikin Data
Simulation value increases significantly when performance data is captured, structured, and used for learning and program improvement.
Ask each vendor: Does your simulator integrate with a simulation management platform? Can it capture audiovisual recordings and support structured debriefing? Does it allow export or integration with LMS or credentialing systems?
Elevate Healthcare’s LearningSpace connects directly to the full Elevate Healthcare simulator portfolio. It handles scheduling, real-time observation, AV capture, debriefing, and learner assessment within a single system. The platform also includes Ehli, an AI assistant that supports evaluation scoring during OSCE sessions, reducing faculty burden and improving scoring consistency.
Criterion 4: Total Cost of Ownership
Purchase price is only one component of total cost. Long-term ownership includes maintenance, software licensing, consumables, training, replacement parts, and potential downtime costs.
Ask each vendor: What is included in the service agreement, and what is excluded? How are software updates handled, and are they included in licensing? What is the typical response time for technical support? What is the expected lifespan under high-volume use?
Elevate Healthcare simulators are hand-assembled in Sarasota, Florida. Many programs using the CAE and Elevate Healthcare portfolio in high-volume environments report strong durability over time. Service agreements cover preventive maintenance and parts, while support teams are trained in clinical use cases to help resolve issues in simulation contexts more efficiently.
Criterion 5: Support Model and Vendor Relationship
Support quality is often underestimated during procurement but becomes one of the most important factors after purchase.
Ask each vendor: Is support provided directly by the manufacturer or through third-party providers? What are the response and resolution time expectations? Is on-site support available? What faculty training is included, and is it part of the purchase or an add-on?
Elevate Healthcare offers both on-site and virtual training through the Elevate Learning Institute, with structured programs designed to support implementation and ongoing faculty development. The Achieve Program provides additional consulting support for organizations developing or restructuring simulation curricula. These services are designed to be incorporated into program planning from the beginning, rather than added after implementation.
Criterion 6: Upgrade Path and Simulation Manikin Ecosystem Continuity
A clear upgrade path helps ensure long-term continuity and protects against premature replacement cycles.
Ask each vendor: How do current systems evolve over time? Are software updates capable of extending hardware functionality, or do improvements require new equipment? How do legacy systems integrate with current platforms?
Programs using CAE Healthcare equipment are part of the Elevate Healthcare ecosystem. Service agreements continue, warranties are honored, and LearningSpace integrates with both legacy CAE and current Elevate Healthcare models. The rebrand from CAE Healthcare to Elevate Healthcare was a brand evolution, not a product discontinuation. Existing CAE customers don’t start over; they build forward.
Using This Checklist in Your Evaluation Process
This checklist is most effective when used early in the procurement process, before RFP issuance and vendor demonstrations. It helps ensure that evaluation criteria are defined by the program rather than shaped by vendor presentations.
When vendors are invited to present, ask them to respond to each criterion directly as part of the evaluation process. This creates a more consistent comparison framework across vendors and reduces variability in interpretation.
Simulation program leaders who have built on the CAE Healthcare and Elevate Healthcare portfolio consistently describe the same pattern: they evaluated on clinical scope, platform integration, and support quality, and the decision held up over time. Start with the right criteria, and the right vendor becomes easier to identify.
Interested in learning more about Elevate Healthcare’s simulation manikins? Contact us today to speak with a simulation specialist.