The HELPS (Human Emulation, Education, and Evaluation Lab for Patient Safety) Center Program operates out of the state-of the-art HELPS Center which is owned and operated by the Department of Anesthesiology of The Icahn School of Medicine. The program has been in operation since 1994, when the first beta simulator based on the University of Florida's Anesthesia Simulator was acquired. Although owned and operated exclusively by the Department of Anesthesiology our target audience is multidisciplinary and includes attending, fellow, resident, medical student, and nursing curriculum.

The Department of Anesthesiology's HELPS Center education complex is located in the department's office space. The center occupies approximately 2,000 square feet and features a large conference room (that seats approximately 40), a classroom (that seats approximately 20), and two fully functioning simulator rooms each capable of educating 15 students per room. Each simulator room is equipped with a dedicated METI human simulator, patient monitor, computer record keeper, and anesthesia delivery system.

The simulators (two stationary METI HPS adults, one of which was a descendant from the first beta unit created by Loral), one mobile Laerdal Simman, one METI child, and one new METI infant) are full-scale patient mannequins with palpable pulses, audible breath and heart sounds, and pupils that react to light. The stationary systems incorporate oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. Through the interaction of sophisticated cardiovascular, pulmonary, and pharmacological mathematic modeling, they realistically respond to simulated drugs and interventions. In April 2006, a brand new METI HPS arrived replacing our original simulator acquired in 1994. The infant also joined the family during the last few months. The HELPS Center also houses two virtual-reality bronchoscope/colonoscope simulators and a robotic intravenous placement trainer.

The HELPS Center is supported by a state-of-the-art integrated and custom-designed audiovisual system that includes three dedicated computers, one 65-inch plasma screen and two wall-mounted 50-inch plasma screens each with overlaid "Smartboard" technology, enabling touch-screen capabilities. There is a dedicated ceiling-mounted LCD projector coupled with an automated projection screen. There are also multiple camera installations in each simulator rooms and a Polycom for teleconferencing, a slide-to-video projector, and a "Pointmaker" tablet that provides technology for annotating live action during simulator sessions. The AV system provides the ability to display hard copy slides and to display and create video, CD, and DVD presentations. Custom programmed touch-screen panels enable local, national and international telemedicine conferences from any location in the center.