Missouri rural hospitals use a mobile simulator to train staff for winter respiratory illnesses amid staffing and funding challenges.

Rural Missouri hospitals are using MU Health’s Mobile Clinical Simulator to prepare for the upcoming cold, flu, and RSV season, offering hands-on training for healthcare workers in remote areas. The mobile unit features lifelike mannequins that breathe and respond, allowing staff to practice emergency responses in a safe setting. Tailored sessions help build confidence and skills, especially critical as rural facilities face ongoing challenges like staff shortages, funding cuts, and increased patient loads following the closure of 21 hospitals in the past decade.