Articles Tagged: University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

Although University of Iowa Health Care ranked nationally as the second-most trusted health care brand, the state of Iowa had among the most “doctor dodgers” in the country.

As the University of Iowa searches for new leadership atop its sprawling health care enterprise, growing network of hospitals and clinics, and highly-ranked college of medicine, administrators want a partner to help them assess “fair market valuation” of a “wide range of health care settings and assets.”

For the fourth time since 2007, the National Institutes of Health has renewed a large scientific grant for the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine — this time awarding it $28 million over seven years to “take clinical research out into rural communities.”

A month after Mercy Iowa City leadership named a new CEO, announced the hospital again would exit its partnership with Des Moines-based MercyOne, and disclosed the hire of an operations improvement consultant, executives last week shared more organizational updates – including that an “internal and external” rebranding is underway.

The second of two finalists for the highest job atop University of Iowa Health Care and the UI College of Medicine on Monday spoke directly to key concerns, issues, and incentives presently before the enterprise he aims to lead – including physical growth, community collaboration, patient satisfaction, and staffing.

Attorneys representing the University of Iowa want a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit the campus’ new private utilities operator filed against it in January – ignoring, for now, the substance of the accusations and arguing its utilities operator made procedural and jurisdictional mistakes in filing the suit.

Although the first of two finalists for the top job leading University of Iowa Health Care and its Carver College of Medicine has no experience as a public academic medical center administrator, she has extensive medical, research, leadership and emergency response experience that she believes qualifies her for the post.

Denise J. Jamieson — professor and chair for the Emory Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and chief of gynecology and obstetrics for Emory Healthcare — will visit the UI campus Monday and Tuesday and participate in an open forum from noon to 1 p.m. Monday.

Given the uncertainty of Mercy Iowa City, Steindler now is considering performing surgery at hospitals in Cedar Rapids too – including UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital and Mercy Medical Center, both Cedar Rapids, and other in-patient hospitals regionally.

Eight months after unveiling four finalists to become vice president for medical affairs and dean of its Carver College of Medicine --

A day after getting Board of Regents OK to proceed with $185 million worth of health care and medicine-related projects in the coming months, the University of Iowa on Friday issued a request for qualifications from firms interested in designing and developing a massive new North Inpatient Tower next to Kinnick Stadium.

Crowding and capacity needs continue to stress the main University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, compelling administrators to expand the emergency department, reorganize existing services, and open a new “short-stay unit.”

One of those projects is a $40 to $49 million expansion and build-out of its six-year-old Stead Family Children’s Hospital that -- with price escalations during construction, court-ordered payouts post-construction, and faulty work requiring widespread window repair -- already has seen its price swell from a $270.8 million budget to up to $450 million.

Moody’s Investors Service again has downgraded Mercy Iowa City Hospital’s credit rating following “severe cash flow deterioration, from historically weak levels, which has resulted in material and rapid cash burn.”

Face masks now are optional in all University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics facilities, including Iowa River Landing and QuickCare clinics, except for people who have symptoms of a respiratory virus or unvaccinated employees.