The Julie Penrose Health Education & Research Center (JPHERC) located in beautiful Colorado Springs, CO is a non-profit multidisciplinary center designed to improve community health and the healthcare infrastructure of the Pikes Peak region.  It fulfills the region’s longstanding need for a multidisciplinary, community-based and state-of-the-art health education center to coordinate and translate medical and research advances to the community. It accomplishes this charge through a variety of educational forums, distance learning initiatives, community outreach endeavors, research projects and telemedicine procedures.

The backbone to the JPHERC and its education and community outreach goals is a complex and fully-integrated information technology (IT) system. In addition to internal broadcasts, the IT system facilitates distance learning with digital broadcasts to remote sites including off-campus healthcare facilities (e.g. hospitals, surgery centers and medical offices) as well as community venues (e.g. classrooms, auditoriums and conference rooms). Within the IT network, all broadcasts are in high-definition and at medical-grade levels due to recent advances incorporated within the center’s infrastructure.

With multiple large flat-screen monitors and a high-resolution projection screen, the center’s auditorium and accompanying multi-purpose room can serve as venues for literally hundreds of people to discreetly and simultaneously observe surgical demonstrations, medical procedures and other health presentations. Additionally, the auditorium and multi-purpose rooms can be used for a variety of community functions and outreach endeavors including banquets, meetings, conferences, expositions, and ongoing seminars and presentations.

At the heart of the Julie Penrose Health Education & Research Center and its training and research initiatives is a flexible and multi-functional wet lab and research work area.  To further support its operational functions, the center boasts several conference rooms, anatomical prep and storage areas, and business offices for on-site staff and research coordinators.