The University of Iowa Health Care announced in a release Tuesday that its North Liberty campus will welcome the first patients to its orthopedic clinics and operating rooms, orthopedic injury walk-in clinic, and emergency department on April 28.

Located at the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965, the North Liberty campus is the first newly built hospital facility separate from UIHC’s main university campus. The facility will house the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, UI Sports Medicine, a level-four trauma center emergency department, a 24-hour drive-thru pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, and clinical lab services, according to the release.

In September 2021, the Iowa Board of Regents approved UIHC’s $395 million North Liberty Hospital project, aiming to expand patient capacity. This decision followed the State Health Facilities Council’s earlier denial of a $230 million proposal in February 2021, which faced opposition from local hospitals concerned about business impacts.

The final project budget amounted to $525.6 million.

RELATED: UIHC North Liberty hospital construction halfway complete

“This is a historic moment for UI Health Care,” UI Vice President for Medical Affairs Denise Jamieson said in the release.

Jamieson stated the North Liberty location will expand UIHC’s reach, providing more Iowans with access to health care while also advancing UIHC’s medical research and education.

“We think patients and families will be impressed — and excited — about the facilities and, ultimately, their care experience at North Liberty,” Jamieson said in the release.

Before the opening, a community open house is scheduled for April 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include tours of the North Liberty campus and autograph sessions with select Iowa Hawkeye athletes, food trucks, and activities for children in the new campus’s outdoor space.