Rural Health Clinic Renovations Will Expand Access in Muscatine

A longstanding community partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and UnityPoint Health® – Trinity Muscatine moves forward with a turn of the dirt. A groundbreaking ceremony took place Wednesday, June 14 as the first step in creating a new, three floor UnityPoint Clinic® Mulberry.

"We’re proud to celebrate improving the health of the Muscatine community,” says Charla Schafer, president of Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. “We view strong local healthcare as foundational. The new facility will enable more equitable access for all who live in our area communities. Providing preventive care is the most critical and effective way to address health issues while simultaneously improving children and families academic and economic success.”

Construction is expected to last 18 months with project completion scheduled for Fall 2024. The structure of the project allows for continued operation of the current clinic while construction of the new facility occurs. Patient parking will be reduced during the construction period and patients will enter through the Trinity Muscatine hospital main entrance to access the clinic.

The goal is to expand the clinic’s footprint from 30,000 square feet to 42,000 square feet, allowing for future expansion which includes multi-use space for services like telehealth, primary care, behavioral health and community health.

“First and foremost, we offer our tremendous thanks to Trinity Muscatine Foundation, Trinity Muscatine Friends and the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine’s Muscatine Health Support Fund and community donors for their generous support of this project,” says Rachel Pohl, executive director, UnityPoint Health – Trinity Muscatine.

The expansion is centered around the medical home model with providers working in pods in open areas. The model allows better monitoring of exam rooms and promotes easier communication between care team members to best serve patients quickly and safely. Initially, the clinic will offer Pediatrics, Gynecology, Family Medicine, Surgery and Internal Medicine.

“A patient centered medical home model is an approach to delivering high-quality, cost-effective primary care using a patient-centered, culturally appropriate and team-based approach,” says Hamid Sagha, MD, UnityPoint Clinic Mulberry – Internal Medicine. “These improvements will allow us better adaptation to ever-changing health services needs.”

The updated building will be convenient, more efficient for patients and will better accommodate a growing number of providers. With connection to the hospital, the clinic provides easy access for patients, reduces transportation barriers and allows for more collaborative care between the clinic and hospital. The clinic’s proximity to the hospital also allows for easy and seamless access for the hospital’s lab, radiology and inpatient services.

This community investment follows on the heels of a UnityPoint Health funded $6M hospital campus improvement project which included enhanced safety features, a new helipad and renovated acute care unit.

“These are visible and needed improvements that make a lasting impact on the quality care we provide in the Muscatine area,” says Pohl. “We’re here to deliver high-quality healthcare locally so our neighbors receive primary care and management of chronic diseases when they need our help. We’re committed to the community and enjoy being a healthcare partner for life.”

Recently, the Chartis Center for Rural Health named UnityPoint Health® – Trinity Muscatine as a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital.

Also, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recognized Trinity Muscatine with a 5-Star CMS Rating, the highest that can be achieved.

“These recognitions honor outstanding performance for delivering higher quality care and better outcomes,” says Pohl. “And they help us recruit talented individuals and team members who are here to care for our community.”

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