The Omaha City Council Tuesday approved, by a 7-0 vote, UNMC’s request for funding from the city of Omaha to invest in infrastructure changes around a new medical simulation training facility with a unique focus on 3-D and Virtual Immersive Reality (VIR).
The Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning will house and support the activities of UNMC’s Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning (iEXCEL℠). The facility is the centerpiece of an initiative that will create up to 325 well-paying jobs and is estimated to generate $137.7 million annually in economic impact for the city and state economies.
Read Omaha World-Herald coverage of the council decision here.
The City Council approved a request for $5.2 million in redevelopment bond proceeds and $5.5 million in capital improvement program funds.
UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., expressed gratitude on behalf of the university to City Council members and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert.
“We are grateful that our city leaders recognize the importance of the iEXCEL℠ initiative,” Dr. Gold said. “This new facility will transform the way health professionals learn new skills and acquire new knowledge. UNMC will be a world leader in ‘real-life virtual reality scenarios and 3-D content creation.’ The people of Omaha will see the benefits as this state-of-the-art center improves the performance of health care professionals, both in Omaha, throughout Nebraska and far beyond. Enhanced health care education will lead to enhanced patient care outcomes, the true goal of everything we do at UNMC.”
See KMTV story on iEXCEL℠ at UNMC here.
Pam Boyers, Ph.D., UNMC associate vice chancellor for interprofessional education and experiential learning, said the city’s support will lead to positive outcomes.
“This support from the City of Omaha will result in a number of benefits, including improved health care outcomes and a boost to the local economy,” Dr. Boyers said. “More importantly, this center will position UNMC and the City of Omaha as the site for cutting-edge health care education. The Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning will position Omaha as a forward-thinking city poised to have a lasting impact on health education.”
In 2015, the Nebraska Legislature and Gov. Pete Ricketts approved $25 million toward design and construction of the iEXCEL℠ Global Center project. They subsequently approved $2 million annually for operations and maintenance of the new facility. Additional funding support for iEXCEL will come from other private and public sources.