Tom Call, President

Dear Friends,

At VATA, we are committed to offering you some of the world's most useful and realistic anatomical health care models.

VATA, Inc. was established in May 1987 with a single product, Chester Chest™. This model was created because, as a sales representative for an IVAD/port manufacturer, a new product at the time, I became aware that a training model was needed as staff could only learn and practice on real patients. This was not an acceptable method for anyone involved and so Chester Chest™ was developed to fill this need. Chester Chest™ has continued to be a most useful teaching model, now being used throughout the US and in 31 foreign countries. Chester Chest™ has been joined with numerous additional models including, Peter PICC Line™, NITA Newborn™, Advanced Venipuncture Training Aid™, Port "Body in a Box"™ and others.

Over the years we have continued to expand our product lines, with wound care/pressure ulcer models being our most recent. New Medicare guidelines that took effect in October 2008, created a need for models allowing the teaching and practice of wound and pressure ulcer care. VATA’s models address the assessment, staging, measurement, care and dressings associated with these wounds and pressure ulcers. Our new models are Seymour II™ Wound Care Model, "Wilma" Wound Foot™, "Pat" Pressure Ulcer Staging Model™ and "Stan" Stage IV Pressure Ulcer Model™. These models were developed with the consultation of several board members of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) and several highly respected medical professionals in the wound care arena. All the wounds and pressure ulcers presented on these models are to the NPUAP 2007 Guidelines.

We have found the best models come from involving the clinician and specialist at the earliest stages of research and development, assuring that the end product provides the highest level of realism and function for the procedures you need to learn. As many times procedures and protocols can be regional, we try to receive the input of several respected clinicians from different regions to make sure we have "covered all the bases". Our concern is not solely with the improved competency and skills of the clinician but also in maintaining patient autonomy with the use of realistic educational health care models. It has been gratifying to hear from many patients and families of the positive learning experiences they have encountered using our models.

We would like to thank all of our customers for their past and present support. Please keep in touch with us. We are easy to reach by phone, fax, mail or e-mail. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions and if you have an idea for a new model or have a need for a custom model, please give us a call to discuss.

Thank you to all of our customers for their past and present support. Please keep in touch by phone, fax, mail or e-mail. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions and if you have an idea for a new model or have a need for a custom model, please give us a call to discuss.