Willis-Knighton Health System will officially open its 300,000 square-foot Innovation Center Sunday in Bossier City. The hospital system acquired the former Bossier Medical Center two years ago, remodeled it, and plans to house ancillary services in the building.
Facility administrator Joshua Mason says about one third of the building will house patient records in a fireproof, highly secure environment.
“We were able to condense several storage buildings throughout the city and get all of our records -- we’re talking in the neighborhood of 70,000 boxes of records -- under one roof now,” Mason said.
The WK Innovation Center houses a virtual hospital where employees and area nursing students can train in a setting that was once an intensive care unit. Mason says the virtual hospital is equipped with lifelike patient simulators that are ailing in an environment that replicates a Willis-Knighton hospital.
The virtual hospital will be an attraction to area nursing schools, according to Mason, and improve educational opportunities and training for Willis-Knighton clinical employees.
“Although our education has always been very good, they’ve been located in an older building, an old Catholic school. We just really wanted to bring our education up to the level of the rest of our facilities,” Mason said.
The WK Innovation Center also houses a medical museum, business offices, and dietary staff, among other divisions and offices. Mason says about 100 people will work in the building.
A public grand opening is set for Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 2105 Airline Drive in Bossier City.
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