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Medical director seeks $102,000 in simulation upgrades as OMD budget dips slightly
Summary
Dr. Kevin Brinker presented Sedgwick County’s Office of the Medical Director FY2027 request, highlighting simulation and virtual‑reality training equipment (~$102,000 total) to replace aging gear and noting a proposed budget decrease from $649,285 to $634,731 (~2.24%).
Dr. Kevin Brinker, Sedgwick County emergency medical system medical director, briefed commissioners on the Office of the Medical Director’s staffing constraints, training needs and a package of decision requests to modernize simulation training.
Brinker said the OMD budget dropped from $649,285 last year to a proposed $634,731 for 2027, a decrease he described as roughly 2.24 percent. He told commissioners most of OMD’s budget is personnel, with the remainder covering contractuals and durable medical training supplies. “Last year it was $649,285. Proposed for 2027 will be $634,731,” Brinker said.
The office is requesting roughly $102,000 across three simulation‑related packages: medium‑fidelity portable simulation equipment to integrate with existing systems, a hemorrhage‑control trainer and an advanced life‑support (ALS) mannequin, plus a virtual‑reality training platform to standardize scenarios and collect performance analytics. Brinker said much of the current simulation inventory has aged out; he estimated new equipment and software upgrades would have a typical lifecycle of about seven to ten years.
Brinker and commissioners discussed EMS coordination and an upcoming EMS workshop; commissioners asked that Brinker participate in system‑level conversations about scaling BLS pilot units, protocol changes and data integration challenges. Brinker described data integration as primarily an issue with older simulation systems pulling analytics into a central repository and said newer platforms would improve CPR and procedural performance measurement.
Next steps: Brinker will return with any requested reductions or alternatives if commissioners want to pare back the package; staff said the EMS workshop scheduled in late May/early June will include further discussion of system‑wide EMS scaling and protocol implications.
