For the Iowa River Landing Clinic, business has been good.
At the Dec. 5 telephonic meeting of the state Board of Regents, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics reported the new clinic saw 7,000 visits in November, with roughly one-third of those patients being new to the organization.
“We’re seeing some really nice growth,” said Ken Kates, the UIHC chief executive officer. “We’re delighted with the early results coming from the Iowa River Landing Clinic.”
The clinic anticipates seeing 300,000 patients every year in order to divert the mass of patients from coming to the main campus in Iowa City.
“The volume at Iowa River Landing Clinic is exceeding our expectations,” UIHC spokesman Tom Moore said. “We’re extremely pleased with the results thus far.”
The $73 million clinic located on First Avenue in Coralville opened on Oct. 5, became operational on Oct. 8., and began its success with concrete accessibility and parking.
“We think the improvement access and marketing is resulting in [the number of new patients],” Kates said.
UIHC officials aren’t the only ones impressed with the results of the newest clinic — Coralville City Councilor Tom Miller said it’s benefiting the surrounding area.
“It’s been doing fantastic,” he said. “It’s a regional draw for the hospital and the university. There’s easy access, and parking is available. It’s just a win-win for the community and the area.”
In the clinic, the UIHC opened a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning community clinic that appears to be succeeding.
“We’ve had a pretty amazing response,” said Nicole Nisly, a University of Iowa clinical professor of internal medicine, who works in the LGBTQ clinic. “Our clinic has been full, and we’ve had quite a number of patients who are new to the hospital, which tells me we are reaching a population that previously didn’t have access.”
The LGBTQ clinic addresses the health-care disparities for the community and aims to create a safe environment to seek medical attention — a goal that seems to be in sight.
“We are fulfilling the need that is important and probably long overdue,” Nisly said.
While the clinic continues to offset the congestion and sees new patients, officials agree the clinic will only bring more benefits for the area as it grows.
“This is just the beginning,” Miller said. “And as a regional center, it will have a draw for all of eastern Iowa.”