Inpatient unit reopens at UI Health Care’s downtown campus
University of Iowa Health Care is reopening a once-closed inpatient unit at its downtown campus as part of its continued commitment to enhancing community health care. The space has been renovated into an inpatient family medicine unit that will welcome its first patients this July.
Revitalizing space, community care
Commonly referred to by staff as 3 Center, the 26-bed unit closed several years before UI Health Care assumed operations of the hospital at 500 East Market Street in downtown Iowa City. Over the past several months, construction crews have renovated and optimized the unit for inpatient family medicine care, improving its technology, infrastructure, and workflow efficiency for faculty and staff.
Remodeled inpatient rooms offer privacy and comfort for families at UI Health Care’s downtown campus.
UI Health Care’s inpatient family medicine services are currently available at the university campus, providing patients with comprehensive medical care under the supervision of a family medicine physician. An inpatient family medicine unit typically houses a wide range of patients, excluding those needing intensive or surgical care. Patients on this unit may be experiencing hospitalization for issues such as certain heart conditions, diabetes, severe infections, or kidney disease.
With the opening of the inpatient family medicine unit at downtown campus, patients have more options for where to receive their care. This update is part of an ongoing revitalization occurring at one of Iowa City’s most beloved and essential health care facilities. Long-time staff member Kim Volk, MSN, RN, associate chief nursing officer for the downtown campus, is eager to celebrate the reopening of 3 Center.
“The reopening of this unit is an exciting milestone for all of us who have been dedicated to this campus for many years,” says Volk. “Every improvement we are making enhances our ability to deliver high-quality, compassionate care in an environment that is easy for patients to navigate, with a personal touch from familiar faces.”
Not only will the unit provide acute care for patients, it will also offer learning opportunities for resident physicians to practice at a hospital with a community feel.
“By reviving this unit and converting it into an inpatient family medicine unit, we’re delivering on our commitment to maintaining and improving access to high-quality, compassionate, and hospitable care in our community,” says Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, the UI vice president of medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “We will continue to adapt services at our campuses to meet patients’ evolving needs, so they can receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time.”
More than 72,000 patients were seen at the downtown medical center in the first year after UI Health Care assumed operations in early 2024. The campus continues to experience steady growth in the number of patients seen monthly.
“I’m proud of our staff for their commitment to this campus and how they’ve adapted to a number of changes over the past year and a half,” says Jennifer Miller, MHA, MPH, RD, chief administrative officer for the downtown campus. “The reopening of the 3 Center unit is symbolic of this campus’ revival and is a testament to the strength and resilience of our team.”
UI Health Care continues to find new ways to enhance health care services and access at the downtown campus. Additional updates are planned for the near future.