DES MOINES, IOWA (February 19, 2020) — Des Moines University has been awarded a $2 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant by the US Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). This funding will help support the acquisition of the latest telehealth technology and equipment that will be part of the university’s planned state-of-the-art simulation center on its new campus, which is set to open in 2023 at 8025 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines.
“This EDA investment will help train Des Moines area health care providers in telehealth technologies critical to responding to the pandemic, while also preparing students for the future of health-care delivery,” said Dennis Alvord, acting assistant secretary of commerce for economic development.
This project will permit health-care providers and students to train with simulated and live patients to advance clinical training.
“We are very grateful to the offices of Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03), and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for their advocacy and support,” said Des Moines University President and CEO Angela L Walker Franklin PhD. “This important investment will enhance the training of professionals who will make telehealth a permanent offering in our health-care system."
At the new campus, DMU students will learn to use this pioneering technology to help Iowa families benefit from telehealth services. Advanced equipment will include innovations in simulation labs, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others. “Having the ability to use telehealth programs has been more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we look forward it will be critical for Iowans to have a variety of care options,” Franklin said.
“Furthermore, we hope to partner with other health-care organizations, which will allow us to move forward with technology that will enable future health-care professionals to deliver care within our rural communities,” she added.
About Des Moines University
Des Moines University is the only private medical and health sciences school in Iowa, offering nine graduate-level professional-degree programs in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, health-care administration, anatomy, biomedical sciences, and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students’ pass rates on national examinations and board certifications are consistently higher than national averages and rates at peer institutions.
