Mercy, University of Iowa bring advanced neonatal care to Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - A new collaboration between Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids and University of Iowa Health Care aims to improve care for newborn babies and women with high-risk pregnancies in Cedar Rapids.

Mercy and UI will share resources in the areas of neonatal care, maternal-fetal care and pediatrics so patients who need specialty care do no have to travel as frequently, said Dr. Tim Quinn, chief of clinical operations.

'What a community of our size struggles with is ... keeping up the volume needed to maintain a certain level of experience,” Quinn said. By partnering with UI, Mercy has access to the latest research and protocols, he added.

Starting this fall, University of Iowa Children's Hospital neonatologists will work on-site with Mercy's Dr. Roger Allen, providing patient care. Neonatology is the care of premature infants or newborns who are seriously ill due to low birth weight or other life-threatening conditions.

'As a team, we're prepared to provide our babies with the very best care, with direct access to University neonatologists, as well as the University's latest, evidence-based protocols.” Allen said.

UIHC pediatric specialists also will see patients on-site at Mercy, Quinn said, so a parent can take their child to see a pulmonologist in Cedar Rapids rather than Iowa City.

'Depending on the volume of patients they will be on site a few days a week or month,” he said.

Additionally, UI maternal-fetal medicine experts will provide specialized, prenatal obstetrics care for women with high-risk pregnancies due to a variety of risks, including advanced maternal age, multiple births, chronic conditions such as diabetes, or a history of complications of pregnancy.

Quinn said this gives pregnant women access to high-level care while allowing them to still deliver with their obstetrician.

This is not the first collaboration between the two hospitals. Mercy and UI Health created an Accountable Care Organization in 2013 to better coordinate patient care and improve quality among patients.

'We looked at who has what experience in what area,” Quinn said. 'And how can we expand that?”

UIHC has similar relationships with hospitals in Waterloo and the Quad Cities, Quinn said.

'Offering these services at Mercy in Cedar Rapids will bring added convenience and peace of mind to patients and families in Linn and neighboring counties,” said Dr. Jean Robillard, UI Vice President for Medical Affairs. 'This is truly a case where, by working together with Mercy, we will provide better care and service, including improved access and less stress from travel.”