The Palomar West Medical Campus isn't due to open until 2011 in San Diego, but a virtual version launched yesterday in Second Life. It's the result of a partnership between Cisco and virtual design agency Millions Of Us.
The hospital is trumpeting its status as the first to have an official unveiling within Second Life, offering virtual tours of the medical centre, which is costing $810 million to build in the real world. The hospital itself will be packed with cutting-edge medical tech, so the idea is that the main innovations will be showcased in Second Life early, to prepare patients and healthcare professionals.
It’s also designed to allow San Diego residents to give their feedback on the new centre, which is reminiscent of what Starwood Hotels did with its Virtual Aloft build in Second Life showcasing a planned new hotel.
However, that comparison also raises questions, for Starwood exited Second Life just a year after entering it, with claims that the virtual hotel hadn’t delivered a return on investment. Is a virtual hospital any more likely to do the same? It depends how many San Diego residents have a.) a Second Life login and b.) an interest in looking round their new hospital more than once.
Of course, healthcare professionals around the world are likely to be interested too, so the virtual Palomar West Medical Campus isn’t destined to be a similar disappointment. Meanwhile, the hospital plans to hold industry events and meetings in its new virtual abode too, which provides additional corporate justification for the build.
Watch the video above for a peek.
(via Information Week)
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