Newstrack: New UnityPoint clinic seeing nearly 200 patients a day

CEDAR RAPIDS - On May 22, UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids opened a new primary care clinic at 4325 Williams Blvd. SW. The health system moved its family medicine and pediatrics services out of the westside urgent care center, 2375 Edgewood Road SW, and into a nearly 30,000-square-foot space.

What's happened since

It has been nearly a month since the clinic opened for operation and Stacey Barrett, vice president for clinic operations at UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids, said providers are seeing a little fewer than 200 patients each day.

The 12 physicians - 10 family medicine and two pediatrics - still are accepting new patients, she added, and the clinic has the capacity to increase its patient load by about 30 percent.

'We're just about where we expected to be,” Barrett said. 'The practice has been well received and we're receiving very positive feedback from patients as they come to visit.”

Barrett said the health system periodically gathers patient feedback through focus groups and surveys to gauge what type of services can be better filled.

Patients made it clear, she said, that they want the convenience of seeing doctors in the communities where they live.

'We saw a demand and growth in that area,” Barrett said. 'It looked like a good opportunity for us.”

Patients also wanted a space separate from urgent care, she added.

'We were hearing from folks that they were uncomfortable sitting in a waiting room with someone who was sick with flu-like symptoms when they were waiting for wellness physical.”

The clinic also offers imaging services, outpatient physical and occupational therapy, and laboratory services by MedLabs, she said.

'Patients can visit and get all their care done in one building,” she said.

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