UTHSC to Open $39.7 Million Center for Healthcare Improvement May 11

May 07, 2018 at 03:48 pm by admin

A virtual reality room at the new UTHSC Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation (CHIPS). The room will allow students to practice simulated endoscopies, ultrasound procedures, and robotic surgeries.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) plans to open its $39.7 million Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation (CHIPS) on May 11.

The 45,000-square-foot, facility at 26 South Dunlap is dedicated to education, research, and professional development of enhanced clinical skills using standardized patients (actors trained to portray patients), high-fidelity patient simulators (manikins costing from $15,000 to $220,000), and virtual reality technology. According to university officials the building, which has been under construction since 2015, is the only one of its kind in Tennessee and one of only a handful in the country built for and totally dedicated to simulation training.

The center will allow students from the six colleges at UTHSC - Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Nursing, Medicine, and Pharmacy - to train together in simulation settings to develop their skills in delivering team-based health care, which is the proven model for the highest-quality care today.

Each floor of the three-story building is dedicated to a different aspect of simulation training. The first floor includes bed-skill stations that will allow students to focus on preclinical skills and assessments. A virtual reality room allows students to practice simulated endoscopies, ultrasound procedures, and robotic surgeries. There is also a simulated home environment, where students can practice delivering in-home patient care.

Sections: Grand Rounds