Representatives from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Comcast/Spectacor, the Flyers and the 76ers gathered yesterday for the dedication of a new Flyers/76ers Surgery Theatre, a recently renovated facility.
Funds for the theater, formerly known as the Surgical Seminar Room, were donated by the Flyers and 76ers through the Comcast/Spectacor Foundation, a charitable organization supported by funding from the teams' activities.
"Their support furthers Penn's educational and clinical missions, permitting us to continue our national leadership role in developing and refining surgical treatments and cures," said Larry Kaiser, chairman of the surgery department in an official statement.
The auditorium will allow up to 100 people to observe live procedures occurring in operating rooms at HUP, or other facilities that have video conferencing technology, on three 61-inch plasma televisions.
Other technological additions include switchlight glass mirrors, which offer privacy without the hassle of using curtains or blinds, a DVD player and recorder, Direct TV, wireless microphones and two surround sound systems.
The improved theater also features an advanced video conferencing system, which will allows audiences to see, hear, and talk to physicians performing operations in the operating rooms.
The surgery theater is a "state-of-the-art educational facility," Kaiser said at the dedication ceremony yesterday, adding that it would be a valuable asset for learning purposes.
Representatives from Comcast/Spectacor also expressed excitement over the facility's educational potential.
"The surgery theater will be a wonderful place to promote learning in a state-of-the-art educational environment," Comcast/Spectacor Vice Chairman Fred Shabel said in an official statement.
Speakers at the dedication ceremony noted that not only has the theater contributed new technologies -- but has also revealed some of the hospital's history.
While renovating the room, workers uncovered the original entryway to the hospital, which was subsequently preserved and transformed into a window for the new theater.
