UI Health Care brings 3 new leases to Iowa Board of Regents for approval

UI Health Care continues to expand and upgrade facilities across its campuses to better serve the needs of Iowans. Whether it is constructing a new building, moving services to another location, or renovating an existing space, every project is made with thoughtful consideration of the system-wide impact and benefits to the patient. 

At the upcoming April Iowa Board of Regents meeting, UI Health Care will be requesting approval for three new leases in the following areas: Family and community medicine, disabilities and development, and cancer care. By adding new access points for these services, UI Health Care will make it easier for Iowans to receive the care they need, close to home. 

“Family medicine services are in high demand in most communities across the state, and that includes Tiffin, located just west of the Iowa City area,” says Jeffrey Quinlan, MD, FAAFP, chair and department executive officer of Family and Community Medicine. “This is one example of how we are working to increase access to family medicine services by providing more convenient locations, close to home.” 

Family medicine physicians are often the first point of contact for many people with health concerns and are trained to provide comprehensive care for people of all ages. They are also trained in obstetrics—learning how to perform deliveries, manage pregnancy complications, and care for newborns—a critical skill set in Iowa, where this is a shortage of maternal health services.  

Pending approval, the new location will be constructed at the northwest corner of Highway 6 and Kimberlite Street and will be home to five or six clinical providers with room for additional team members as the Tiffin community continues to grow. 

In an exciting step for the future of the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) and its vision to help people with disabilities live healthy and independent lives, UI Health Care is requesting approval from the Iowa Board of Regents to lease a new, accessible, and expansive space at 2610 Northgate Drive in Iowa City. 

“Moving to this new location will give us the opportunity to create a more innovative and state-of-the-art environment for individuals with disabilities and their families to receive care, as well as conduct research, and lead community engagement efforts and interdisciplinary training,” says Jim Leste, chief administrative officer for UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital  “Not only will staff and patients have access to a nicer, newer space, but the new location will have more convenient access to the interstate. This will be a huge benefit for the many patients who travel to us for specialized care from all over the state.” 

CDD serves the entire state and sees patients from all 99 Iowa counties and beyond. About 70% of CDD’s patients come from outside Johnson County.  

The current CDD building was completed in 1954, more than 70 years ago, is now outdated and requires costly maintenance. The proposed new location at 2610 Northgate Drive will be renovated and expanded to meet CDD’s patient care needs. The new space will benefit patients, faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and community members by providing adjacent surface lot parking and greater accessibility. 

Earlier this year, Mission Cancer + Blood became part of UI Health Care. By joining forces, the organizations are providing more Iowans with increased access to comprehensive cancer services, clinical trials, and rare cancer expertise, close to home. 

In an effort to maintain access to cancer care in downtown Des Moines, University of Iowa is requesting approval from the Iowa Board of Regents to lease a new space for existing Mission services. The landlord of a currently leased space in downtown Des Moines will not commit at this time to extending the lease beyond 2025. To maintain continuity of care for patients, services would be provided at a new clinic space at 110 E. Court Avenue in Des Moines, pending approval by the Iowa Board of Regents. 

This new space provides the opportunity for UI Health Care and Mission to design an oncology-focused medical facility specifically with our cancer patients and clinical teams in mind. The location’s close proximity to the health systems in downtown Des Moines will allow for a smooth transition of care while continuing existing partnerships with nearby physicians. 

Mission has more than 20 community locations across Iowa, many that are located within a health system or community hospital, including MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center locations in downtown Des Moines and Clive. Patients benefit when they can receive care locally and collaboration occurs across their care teams. UI Health Care and Mission remain committed to partnering with health care providers across the state to bring the highest quality cancer care closer to home for all Iowans.