Cisco and Palomar Pomerado Health have opened a virtual hospital, Second Life, a simulation of a real-world hospital campus due to open in 2011 and gives visitors the opportunity to tour the hospital years before its doors actually open.

The virtual hospital showcases an assortment of design and technology solutions planned for the real-world Palomar West Medical Campus in San Diego, and to gather feedback that will be used to enhance the way that care is delivered, according to the San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco.

The company said that Second Life allows visitors to experience the nature-embracing design of the hospital, and visitors will also be able to experience Connected Hospital technologies that will be delivered in the real hospital by Cisco.

Highlights of the virtual Palomar West include:

• Cisco TelePresence, a new technology that uses video and spatial audio to create unique in person experiences via the network;
• Advanced Robotics, capable of supporting medical procedures spanning interventional radiology, cardiovascular surgery, urology and gastroenterology;
• Communication and collaboration;
• 3D Holographic Medical Imaging, featuring mobile, remote-controlled, 3D holographic whole-body multimodality medical imaging;
• Connected Real Estate: all building, communication, IT and clinical systems will be converged onto a single Cisco Medical-Grade Network;
• Visibility and Tracking Solutions, radio frequency-enabled sensors that enhance security and safety through patient tracking and that protect hospital property.

Construction of the real-world $811 million Palomar Medical Center West campus is due to be completed in 2011, which is designed to transform the traditional healthcare experience, Cisco said.