The state Board of Regents approved the planning for an expansion at the Iowa River Landing Clinic, allowing the location to grow.

The Coralville clinic opened to alleviate overcrowding issues at the main University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The $73 million clinic opened on Oct. 5, 2012, and patients were admitted three days later. The clinic is located at 105 E. Ninth St.

“Many of our programs are in need of additional space to support an increase in clinical demands,” said Jean Robillard, UI vice president for Medical Affairs.

The River Landing Clinic had 7,000 visits in November 2012, and January had the highest number of intakes. Officials estimate the clinic will see 300,000 patients every year in order to offset overcrowding at the UIHC. Roughly one-third of visits to the River Landing Clinic have been new patients.

The number of clinic visits is currently 1,100 visits above the budget for this time of year.  While officials applaud the success of the clinic and the UIHC as a whole, overcrowding has pushed officials to request an enhancement of current facilities.

The regents approved the request for an expansion project for the fifth floor of the clinic.  This project — the Iowa River Landing Procedure Suite Development — will provide an additional 14,000 square feet for the clinic.

The space will include four procedure rooms with multipurpose uses. Spaces include areas for patients to wait, prepare for procedures and recover.  Room will be made for equipment storage and other clinical support services needed at the clinic.

This expansion will also provide additional space for colorectal cancer screenings that currently take place at the UIHC’s Center for Digestive Diseases Procedure Unit.

Robilliard said the hospital is currently in need of an additional 330,000 square feet to fit its needs in the next three years — but the expansion of the River Landing will compensate for some of those needs.

However, even with the River Landing’s newest expansion, the UIHC would still be short 100,000 to 150,000 square feet of space needed, Doug True, UI senior vice president and treasurer, said.

As a short-term fix, Robillard requested certain services such as ITS and additional financial-aid programs be moved to different locations to open up space for the UIHC.

In order to fill some of the lack of space, officials are also looking at potentially leasing spaces off campus.

“There is not an inch of space we can lease that is adequate,” True said.