The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will soon expand its care to the Iowa River Landing area in Coralville, and officials say the new clinic will alleviate overcrowding problems seen at the main UIHC campus and provide economic development in the River Landing.

"That building is almost done now, and it’s turned out beautifully," UI President Sally Mason told The Daily Iowan last week. "I wouldn’t be surprised if we weren’t moving in there sooner rather than later."

One Coralville official said he looks forward to the economic development the new clinic will bring to the area.

"We’re very excited and pleased the university is putting its hospital clinic here," Coralville Mayor Jim Fausett said. "I think it will spur development in that area."

Development in the River Landing has been taking place for years, Fausett noted. He said the whole area was a brownfield area with some contamination that had to be cleaned up.

UI spokesman Tom Moore said the new clinic will serve patients needing primary care.

"Essentially, it will be primary care, and then, if patients require more specialized care, then they would be directed to the main campus," he said, noting the $73 million clinic is on schedule to open in October.

Mason said all ambulatory care will be move to the new clinic in order to reduce congestion and re-do the parking system. This will also provide room for construction of the new UI Children’s Hospital, which is expected to begin in October.

UIHC officials are expecting around 300,000 annual patient visits at the new Coralville clinic, Fausett said.

Jean Robillard, the UI vice president for Medical Affairs, said he agrees the clinic will do great things for the area.

"I think, first of all, it’s tremendous for the patient population," he said. "They will have easier access then they had before."

Robillard said the new clinic will be provide greater convenience for patients in general because of the accessibility of the building.

"You can come in and out very rapidly, and all of the services you would need will be located at the River Landing [location]," he said.

Robillard said encouraging patients to visit the River Landing clinic for primary care rather than the main campus won’t be a problem, because the building has free parking as well as everything patients need when visiting the doctor.

"When you’re there, you have your primary care and your specialty care in the same place," Robillard said. "All the physicians are University of Iowa physicians."

He believes alleviating overcrowding at the main campus will ultimately increase the quality of care for patients.

"It is about patients themselves," he said. "It is how we deliver care in a more personalized way. I think it will be good."