Sen. Nelson helps break ground on simulation center

ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson helped break ground on a new simulation center at the VA Medical Center in Orlando.

The simulation center is for medical professionals from across the U.S.  to research and train.

The VA hospital opens on Dec. 31, but full research will not be underway for about 15 months.

It's a hospital with inpatient and outpatient care for veterans. The VA said it's excited about the top-of-the-line medical help.

Also, there will be a simulation training center for the nation.

"Simulation helps you use a model. We are using something that represents a human patient and what we can do to procedure the medical procedure event," said Harry Robinson, National Program Manager of the Simlearn Program.

The National Medical Director for the National Simulation Center Haru Okuda said, "We can focus on what's important to our veterans and train doctors, nurses and other providers to help take better care of our veterans."

The simulation mimics a medical condition on a body so that professionals can practice how to treat it. The VA said outpatient care should start on March 1, and inpatient care is set for August 2015.

The experts at the simulation center will travel to different parts of the country to provide the training with the technology developed in central Florida.

WFTV