UCSF Opens High-Tech Learning Center for New Era of Health Care

UCSF will launch one of the nation’s first inter-professional, team-based simulation learning centers to prepare doctors, nurses, pharmacists and dentists together for the changing health care landscape.

Media are invited to attend the opening day of the center on Jan. 18, with tours and demonstrations available from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and a dedication ceremony at noon. Those interested in attending should contact the UCSF News Office.

The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) is a signature project at UCSF and will serve as a core element of the campus’ ongoing efforts to foster collaboration and innovation among the health professions and train students as leaders in delivering high-quality care to underserved communities.

Those efforts stem from UCSF’s leadership in health care education, as well as the changing demands under health care reform that are expected to increase the role and responsibilities of clinical pharmacists, highly trained nurses and dentists in providing overall care. UCSF is home to the nation’s leading schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy, all of which rank among the top four nationwide in their fields.

“What’s so unusual about UCSF is that we have four top-notch health professional schools and a physical therapy program located on this small campus in a very concentrated way,” said Kevin Souza, UCSF assistant dean for Medical Education. “Our schools have always worked together, but now we have a way to focus that training and have such a great opportunity to take advantage of what we all do really well.”

That teamwork also is considered essential, Souza said, to the national effort to reduce medical errors and consistently improve the quality of the nation’s patient care.

Funded with $15.5 million from the state Telemedicine and PRIME-US Education Facilities initiative, as well as philanthropic support, the 22,000-square-foot center has transformed the second floor of the UCSF library on its Parnassus campus into a state-of-the-art facility that will serve more than 2,500 students each year. The facility includes 12 high-tech classrooms and clinical exam rooms, with 10 full body mannequin simulators, as well as telemedicine facilities. So far, 88 simulation cases have been planned for 2011 alone.

UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. For more information, visit www.ucsf.edu.