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.