The University of Iowa Healthcare Center in North Liberty has hit the halfway mark for its construction, with a completion date of 2025.
On Sept. 27, University of Iowa administrators and general construction contractor JE Dunn led members of the Iowa State Board of Regents on a tour of the construction to see current progress.
Branded as a “comprehensive academic health center,” the 60-acre campus will feature a hospital and medical office building with clinics, teaching and research facilities, and provide easy-to-access, drive-up locations for patients with mobility challenges.
“These state-of-the art facilities will allow us to achieve excellence in all parts of our mission: research, education, clinical care, and service to the community,” said Dr. Denise Jamieson, vice president for medical affairs at the University of Iowa and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “It’s exciting to see the progress we have made, and we look forward to sharing the campus with our patients and their families, employees, community, and neighbors as we get closer to completion.”
On the move
The orthopedics and sports medicine departments will move the majority of their clinical, research, and educational programs to the North Liberty location – located on the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965 – due to growing demand for their services. UI’s main campus at 200 Hawkins Drive is currently operating at high capacity, according to a press release, and once the move is made to the North Liberty location, the main campus will be used to expand other critical, complex care services, medical education and research.
“It is our goal to create a patient-centered, coordinated, and comprehensive approach to musculoskeletal care, building on the university’s nationally recognized research, education, and clinical care in orthopedics excellence,” said J. Lawrence Marsh, MD, chair of the department of orthopedics and rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation services will also be offered at the new campus and patients will have the ability to get labs, imaging, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals on-site. Clinic visits, surgery and inpatient services will provide patients with the comprehensive care associated with orthopedics, sports medicine and rehabilitation.
“We believe Iowans deserve leading-edge health care close to home, and so we are doing our part to increase access for all Iowans,” said Dr. Jamieson. “Once complete, the North Liberty campus will be a shining example of academic medicine at its best, advancing health care across the state and beyond.”
