The hospital is in your hands: new simulation game offers interprofessional education
Dr Rebecca Casey has teamed up with colleagues from the School of Medicine to create a new and engaging simulation game exploring healthcare management. It marks the first teaching collaboration between the Business School and the Medical School at Newcastle University.
9 April 2025
The newly-developed simulation game, Scrubs and Suits, is currently in its pilot phase. It is designed for interprofessional education between business and healthcare students.
Enthusiastic students from the Business School's Digital Transformation for Social Good module and the Graduate Entry Medical Programme recently experienced the game, proving that innovation knows no boundaries.
First of its kind
The team involved in designing the game comprised:
- Dr Rebecca Casey, Co-Director of Student Recruitment and Lecturer in Information Systems at Newcastle University Business School
- Dr Bas Olthof, Lecturer in Neurobiology
- Dr Rebecca Hancock, Director of IPE (Interprofessional Education)
They identified that most IPE opportunities in UK higher education are often across areas that commonly work together in clinical settings, such as nursing, medical, and pharmaceutical students. However, there appears to be a lack of provision when looking at medical and business IPEs.
The game simulates the complexity of hospital management, with users tasked with working as a multidisciplinary team to make decisions about management, budget allocation and patient care. It is a practical and engaging way to support students’ development of skills and knowledge in ethical healthcare management.
Dr Casey said: "It has been a genuine pleasure collaborating with colleagues in the School of Medicine on this innovative project. Having long researched the challenges and failures in digital health initiatives, I believe that bringing the business and medical disciplines closer together, as exemplified by 'Scrubs and Suits', holds significant promise for improving the effectiveness of teamworking and communication within healthcare settings."
Dr Olthof said: “This collaboration between Medical and Business Schools bridges perceived divides, revealing the essential interplay between our fields. By simulating real-world scenarios, we empower students with insights into each other's roles, drivers, and decision-making, fostering authentic professional readiness.”
Following success with other learners, there are plans to embed the game into the Newcastle University MBA programme from next year to help MBA learners gain more practical management skills in the medical profession. This is also an additional opportunity to further test and enhance the game.
The future
The team is now in the process of creating different versions of the game that are applicable to multiple healthcare-specific settings, such as pharmacies, GP practices, and hospital trusts. They will also be showcasing the game at conferences to gather feedback to support future iterations, and are planning a showcase event for staff at both schools this summer.