A view of the west side of the Jewel & Jim Plumb Heart Center, with Mercy Medical Center shown at far left. The $49 million facility opens for patient care today (July 17). CREDIT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
As Mercy Medical Center’s Jewel & Jim Plumb Heart Center formally opens its doors for patient care July 17, leaders are extolling the facility’s unique position of offering cutting-edge cardiac care in a purpose-built setting with a design that pays visual homage to Mercy’s deep Catholic roots. The new 72,000-square-foot facility is located at 810 […]
As Mercy Medical Center’s Jewel & Jim Plumb Heart Center formally opens its doors for patient care July 17, leaders are extolling the facility’s unique position of offering cutting-edge cardiac care in a purpose-built setting with a design that pays visual homage to Mercy’s deep Catholic roots.
The new 72,000-square-foot facility is located at 810 Ninth Ave. SE, just across Eighth Avenue from Mercy Medical Center. And while its proximity to Mercy is important for the synergies it creates, Plumb Heart Center officials say the co-location of heart-related services in a single freestanding facility will benefit caregivers and patients alike.
‘One-stop shop’ for cardiac care
“From the patient's perspective, the benefit is we're creating a one-stop shop,” said Plumb Heart Center executive director Jim Atty. “Health care is difficult, and hospitals are traditionally difficult to navigate. By consolidating so many services into one location, we’ll hopefully reduce the amount of steps a patient has to take and the confusion that's associated with coming to the hospital, and it allows for multiple individuals within that building to collaborate on an individual’s care.”
Dr. Ryan Hollenbeck
Dr. Ryan Hollenbeck, the Plumb Heart Center’s co-medical director alongside cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. C.C. Lee, noted that the heart center’s location inside Mercy has faced capacity issues in recent years as demand for heart services has consistently risen.
“We've outgrown our old space,” Dr. Hollenbeck said. “We’re on top of each other over there. We’ve needed more physical space to do our job. And that just speaks to the need for cardiology care in the community and the growth that our service line has witnessed.”
He also noted that combining cardiac employees in a single facility will streamline coordination of care between cardiology specialists, including interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac and vascular surgery, cardio-oncology, pediatric cardiology, and diagnostic teams.
“The collaborative aspect is going to be really nice,” he said. “As a interventional cardiologist, I get a lot of patients who need complex decision-making, and it'll be nice to walk down the hallway a few doors and talk to the referring cardiologist or walk down to cardiothoracic surgery, to put our heads together and figure out the best option for an individual patient. Historically, that's had to occur from a distance, but this provides the opportunity for real-time collaboration.”
Continuum of care
A nurse’s station and collaborative work space on the second floor of the Plumb Heart Center. CREDIT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
Officials say the Plumb Heart Center will feature patient conveniences along the continuum of care – from prevention and screening to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. The center will also include an increasing number of heart-focused specialty clinics designed to provide education, ongoing assessments, and individual care plans, including clinics for heart failure, atrial fibrillation and heart valve disorders.
“From the time a patient makes first contact with us, lots of different things can happen,” Dr. Hollenbeck said. “Some patients need diagnostic testing. Often after that testing, we bring them back to discuss results and treatment options, or sometimes they need further diagnostic testing. And then, God forbid, some patients may need more advanced procedures as a result of that testing, which then require other subspecialists. And they'll be right down the hall.
“Then let's say they need open heart surgery, and they need to recover from that procedure in cardiac rehab – that will also occur at the Plumb Heart Center,” he added. “And once they're recovered, they need ongoing care, usually on a regular basis. The amazing thing is it's all going to happen at the same place. It's going to be very simple and as streamlined as we can make it. The building was truly designed and developed with physician input, and with a patient at the center.”
Ryan Companies designed and built the Plumb Heart Center, and construction on the project began in September 2021.
Features tailored to patients, families
The Plumb Heart Center's Peace Room, designed as a place for relaxation, prayer and reflection for patients, families and staff. CREDIT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
The Plumb Heart Center was designed with many “soft” features for patient and family care and comfort, hospital leaders say, with features including:
A Peace Room to provide a calming space for patients and families to relax, pray and reflect, including custom-made, stained-glass windows created by a local artist.
Sub-waiting areas to help with patient flow and provide increased privacy.
A full-service café, which will offer coffee and food items to patients and staff throughout the day.
An outdoor green space that allows patients, families, and staff a natural environment to rest and recharge, including bike racks and space for food trucks.
A naturally-lit ground-level conference room designed to offer flexible space for classroom-style educational opportunities, meetings and community gatherings.
Another defining characteristic of the Plumb Heart Center is a large, ground-level walking track specifically designed for cardiac rehab. The track transitions directly from indoors to an outdoor walking space (available during temperate months) and allows staff the capability to continually monitor rehab patients even as they go outside the building. Secondary oxygen sources are also included in the track’s ceiling space for immediate access, if needed.
The track’s design came from provider input, Dr. Hollenbeck said.
Exercise equipment is encircled by a walking track specifically designed for cardiac rehab. The track transitions directly from indoors to an outdoor walking space, which will be available as weather permits. CREDIT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
“When we think about our role in the community, we don't just want to be a body shop where you come in and get fixed up and then go back out again,” he said. “We want to be leaders and role models in the community. Part of that is promoting healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle. So we had this idea of making exercise a focus, something that's visible to the entire community. Having the cardiac rehab front and center was very intentional, so the community can see our patients exercising and doing these things that we preach all the time. It's just another example of trying to promote healthy lifestyle changes by being an example and a leader. Personally, I hate exercising indoors, so I think it's going to be nice for the patients when the weather's nice to get out and get some fresh air.”
Visual elements reference Mercy’s Catholic history
Perhaps the most striking exterior feature of the heart center is its expansive, multicolored angular glass surfaces. The design was inspired by Mercy’s 123-year legacy, Mr. Atty said.
“When we started looking at the glass design and the brick work, we had two things in mind,” Mr. Atty said. “We are a hospital rooted in some deep Catholic traditions. But at the same time, we wanted a modern take on some of those cultural aspects, so the glass is supposed to evoke a stained glass feel – again, a very traditional Catholic staple that you'll see all over the place.”
This view of the Plumb Heart Center's main atrium features a 99-foot-long, custom wall covering that mirrors the stained glass in Mercy’s main chapel. The mural’s colors reflect the changing cycles of life and daylight, from brilliant yellows and oranges to dark blues and violets. CREDIT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
Another visual focal point on the main floor is a 99-foot-long, custom wall covering that mirrors the stained glass in Mercy’s main chapel. The mural’s colors reflect the changing cycles of life and daylight, from brilliant yellows and oranges to dark blues and violets.
“It’s a modern take on that sunrise and sunset theme,” Mr. Atty said.
And the angles utilized in the woodwork were designed to echo the angles in Mercy’s cross-shaped logo, Mr. Atty added.
“Throughout the entire facility, we’ve tried to offer a modern interpretation of our Catholic heritage,” he noted.
One other key feature, a 281-foot-long skywalk that crosses Eighth Avenue SE from the Plumb Heart Center to the main hospital, is the largest in Eastern Iowa, offering staff the ability to transfer patients quickly and conveniently to and from the Plumb Heart Center and Mercy’s emergency room or other areas of the hospital as needed.
New facility will address growing demand
Mercy has been providing cardiology services for more than a decade, Dr. Hollenbeck said, and as the department’s reputation has grown – Mercy has been named one of the nation’s top 50 heart centers several times in recent years – demand for services has grown as well.
Several other factors have contributed to that rising demand, he noted.
“One is that the population is aging,” he said. “As the baby boomers get older, there are more people with cardiac conditions who need heart care. Plus, we live in rural Iowa, so we have an aging population to begin with. On top of that, our group has a great reputation, and we pride ourselves on the quality of care we provide, so more people are seeking out Mercy for their health care needs.”
Some cardiac care functions will remain at Mercy’s main hospital for the time being, including electrophysiology, cardiac catheterization labs and surgical suites. But Mr. Atty noted that the heart center is designed to accommodate two additional floors with another 70,000 square feet in the future, including inpatient rooms for cardiac patients.
Cardiology comprises one of Mercy’s largest patient service areas, and Mr. Atty said as many as 80 people per hour will be seen at all the different services being provided at the new heart center.
No decisions have yet been made regarding expansion, but “if what I've seen from our providers is any indication of what's to come, we'll be needing those next two floors sooner rather than later,” Mr. Atty said.
Historic gift propels project to completion
The Plumb Heart Center was completed at a total cost of $49 million, Mr. Atty said, including the facility itself, plus equipment upgrades and furnishings.
A substantial portion of the facility’s funding was provided via an estate gift from the late Jewel and Jim Plumb of Cedar Rapids. Their gift was one of the largest donations in the hospital’s 123-year-history, and $23 million of the gift was dedicated to the naming and development of the new Plumb Heart Center.
The Plumb family has an extensive legacy in Cedar Rapids. Jim Plumb's father, James Plumb, inherited Iowa Manufacturing Co. and later sold it to Howard Hall, the longtime business leader whose family built the Brucemore mansion. He remained with the company as vice president and treasurer.
His son Jim became a graphic designer at Iowa Manufacturing and used his artistic skills to build the models of Iowa Manufacturing equipment, some of which are now housed at Brucemore.
Jim Plumb died in 2004, and Jewel Plumb died in 2019.
The Plumbs had a longstanding affinity for Mercy, Mr. Atty said.
Jim Atty
“They are a prime example of what is referred to in health care as a grateful patient,” he said, noting that both Jim and Jewel received cardiac care at Mercy. “Unbeknownst to us, they left their entire estate to the hospital, truly as a thank you for the care that they received while they were here, from the top down. With this extremely generous gift, we are hopefully honoring them by putting their funds to the best use.”
The balance of the Plumbs’ estate gift will be used for future expansions or other needs, Mr. Atty said.
‘The sky’s the limit’
As longtime Cedar Rapids residents, both Mr. Atty and Dr. Hollenbeck said the Plumb Heart Center is the realization of a longtime dream.
“Since I finished training, I've spent my entire career here at Mercy, and to see how this group has evolved, and how the building has come from an idea to a real brick and mortar structure, is really exciting,” he said. “I grew up near here, and I had a part-time job here when I was in college. It's exciting to see how this place is growing, and to be part of it is fulfilling.”
“I was born here at Mercy,” Mr Atty added, “so being able to come back to my hometown and help put something like this together is gratifying. It’s great to see a grateful patient recognize the great work that's being done here, and know that given the right tools and the right facility, we can replicate that care to the people in our community. It's a testament to the hard work of an awful lot of people that have come before to get to this point. This could really springboard the future growth and development of this program. Truly, the sky's the limit.”
