A NEW MOBILE CLINIC IS HITTING THE ROAD TO TRAIN DOCTORS AND NURSES. ERIN HEFT IS LIVE IN SACRAMENTO WITH A LOOK AT HOW IT’S EXPANDING HANDS ON LEARNING. GOOD MORNING GUYS. YES. DEBUTING THIS BRAND NEW TECHNOLOGY MOBILE FULL SCALE SIMULATION LAB, YOU’RE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE TWO ROOMS. CAITLIN THURMOND, YOU JOIN ME LIVE. IN THE NEXT ROOM THERE ACTUALLY SIMULATING A DELIVERY. CORRECT? YES. THEY’RE GOING TO BE DOING AN IMMINENT DELIVERY IN THEIR PART OF OUR MOBILE SIMULATION UNIT WITH OUR TWO SIMULATION ROOMS. REALLY EXCITING THAT EVERYTHING CAN BE MODULAR AND CHANGED OUT SO WE CAN SUPPORT ANY LEVEL OF CLINICAL SCENARIO, HIGHER REALISM, HIGH STAKES ENVIRONMENTS WITH LOW RISK TO OUR CLINICIANS SUPPORTING NURSING, ALLIED HEALTH AND PHYSICIAN TRAINING. SO WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS A MOBILE LAB? REALLY, THIS ACCESS IS OUR LEVEL OF SIMULATION TRAINING FOR OUR RURAL AND FARTHER TO REACH SITES. WE’RE VERY FORTUNATE IN SUTTER HEALTH THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE BRICK AND MORTAR SIMULATION CENTERS. BUT FOR SOME OF OUR SITES LIKE SUTTER COAST UP ON THE OREGON CALIFORNIA BORDER, THIS TAKES THAT LEVEL OF IMMERSIVE TRAINING TO THEM FOR THEM TO USE. AND SO A FIRST IN CALIFORNIA. OKAY. SO WHEN YOU THINK OF TRAINING LIKE THIS, YOU’RE REALLY MEETING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WHERE THEY’RE AT, WHAT THEY NEED BECAUSE IT’S A LIFELONG LEARNING TYPE OF INDUSTRY. CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT’S ONE OF OUR TAGLINES THAT LEARNING NEVER STOPS. ONCE YOU BECOME A CLINICIAN. I’M A NURSE BY BACKGROUND. IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOUR TRAINING STOPS THERE. SO BRINGING THIS LEVEL OF TRAINING TO THEM HELPS WITH THAT LIFELONG LEARNING. AND I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY FOR PROFESSIONALS, BUT THIS IN ITSELF COULD INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. ABSOLUTELY. WE DEFINITELY UTILIZE THIS TO DO CTE PROGRAMS REALLY SHOW PATHWAYS FOR K THROUGH 12 ON WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN HEALTHCARE AND WHAT CAREERS THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE PART OF ONE DAY. CAITLYN, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN WE’LL HAVE ANOTHER INTERVIEW AND A LIVE LOOK IN THE NOON. BUT I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS VERY INTEN
Sutter Health launches California’s first full-scale mobile simulation lab, expanding clinical training statewide
Officials said the initiative is designed to strengthen teamwork, communication, critical thinking and evidence-based practice among interdisciplinary care teams.
Updated: 12:39 PM PDT Jun 11, 2026
Sutter Health has unveiled what it says is California’s first full-scale mobile simulation lab, a 44-foot training facility on wheels designed to bring immersive clinical education directly to healthcare teams across the state.The new mobile lab will serve Sutter’s rural, suburban and urban hospitals and clinics, giving nurses, physicians, residents, fellows and other caregivers access to realistic, hands-on training without requiring travel to a simulation center.The lab features two simulation rooms, two control rooms and a dedicated debrief area. It is equipped with lifelike mannequins representing patients from newborns to adults, including birthing and geriatric models. These tools allow care teams to practice high-stakes medical scenarios in a safe environment with no risk to patients. Officials said the initiative is designed to strengthen teamwork, communication, critical thinking and evidence-based practice among interdisciplinary care teams. The mobile simulation lab was funded through philanthropic support from donors across the Sutter network, including employees and physicians. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sutter Health has unveiled what it says is California’s first full-scale mobile simulation lab, a 44-foot training facility on wheels designed to bring immersive clinical education directly to healthcare teams across the state.
The new mobile lab will serve Sutter’s rural, suburban and urban hospitals and clinics, giving nurses, physicians, residents, fellows and other caregivers access to realistic, hands-on training without requiring travel to a simulation center.
The lab features two simulation rooms, two control rooms and a dedicated debrief area. It is equipped with lifelike mannequins representing patients from newborns to adults, including birthing and geriatric models. These tools allow care teams to practice high-stakes medical scenarios in a safe environment with no risk to patients.
Officials said the initiative is designed to strengthen teamwork, communication, critical thinking and evidence-based practice among interdisciplinary care teams.
The mobile simulation lab was funded through philanthropic support from donors across the Sutter network, including employees and physicians.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel