Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - Metropolitan Community College, Penn Valley Campus Health Sciences Institute 3444 Broadway Kansas City, Missouri 64111-2764 Project Director: Dr. Renee Portmann, Dean Phone Number: 816-604-4562 Email Address: renee.portmann@mcckc.edu HRSA-23-117 Construction and Modernization project with equipment. Project Abstract Where healing hands get hands-on experience. Metropolitan Community College (MCC) Penn Valley (PV) Campus state-of-the-art Health Science Institute (HSI) is a unique learning facility. A Virtual Hospital in this 187,000 sq. ft. building provides hands-on learning opportunities, clinical skills practice, and patient care teamwork to the next level. PV HSI houses programs that prepare individuals to find employment in the health care community. They include degrees in Dental Assisting, Emergency Medical Services, which includes EMT and Paramedic, Health Information Management, Licensed Practical Nursing, Associate Degree in Nursing Bridge Program, Associate Degree in Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, and Surgical Technolgy and certificates in Coding Specialist, Paramedic and Practical Nursing. In addition to these programs, the Health Sciences Institute is in the final stages of planning to offer a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy, and credentials in community health worker and stenography. An infusion of funds would aid launching the new programs in the planned near future (as well as provide updates to the other programs in the Health Sciences repertoire (see https://mcckc.edu/pathways/health-sciences.aspx). Healthcare workers make a difference in the lives of others each day, whether it is caring for patients, assisting a family through a difficult medical situation, conducting health screenings, or working behind the scenes to keep medical facilities operating smoothly. PV HSI faculty train individuals in rewarding careers through Health Science Academic and Career Pathway programs. These high-demand careers include nursing, medicine, dental, medical coding/billing, physical and occupational therapy, and allied health fields. Healthcare is a team-oriented environment, where compassion and skills improve people's lives. To meet the expanding demand for qualified health professionals, these programs combine classroom instruction, laboratory experience, and clinical practice to assure students obtain current, high-level skills. Because all the healthcare programs at MCC are located in the HSI, there is a comprehensive healthcare learning environment for students in all of the programs. The opportunity for collaborative and collegial work among the various healthcare programs is supported through both natural alliances as well as through strategic partnerships. More healthcare workers come out of MCC than any other institution in Kansas City. This strong and vibrant culture of medical training provides students with a rich environment for learning, and the Respiratory Care program students will benefit from being in this facility. The facility has been in service for over 20 plus years, and the facility has received some attention to enhance the programs, but nothing to address the comprehensive needs of a well-used facility. Although the HSI facility could use some significant funding to address all the needs, this project will provide the resources for pressing functional improvements, repairs, and enhancements to the HSI facility and healthcare programs. This project will allow MCC to continue to offer state-of-the-art training and education to health science professionals that are in demand now and into the future.
