Home / News / Education / Higher Ed University of Iowa unsure yet what new ER will mean for long wait times on the main campus hospital in Iowa City The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread NORTH LIBERTY — University of Iowa Health Care for years has bemoaned its cramped emergency department and limited bed capacity — creating long wait times, lengthy ER stays and higher-than-average rates of would-be patients who leave without being seen dozens of patients received care through the North Liberty campus’ 18,400-square-foot ER — among the thousands seen in the new hospital’s orthopedics clinics “This number is expected to increase as we enter the summer months,” UIHC spokesman Taylor Vessel said of traffic through the new ER — a 14-room Level-4 trauma center outfitted with state-of-the-art X-ray Being a Level-4 trauma center — as opposed to Level 1 like the main campus ER and Level 3 like its Downtown ER formerly Mercy Iowa City — means North Liberty’s ER has fewer trauma-care resources and might need to transfer some patients to Iowa City “All levels have the expertise and trained staff to stabilize trauma patients prior to transfer to higher levels of care if needed,” according to a UIHC question-and-answer synopsis on the new campus “The main difference between Level 3 and Level 4 is the presence of an on-call general surgeon at a Level-3 trauma center.” “The best emergency department is the nearest one,” officials said highlighting a prime and strategic strength of the new hospital “Given the growing population in North Liberty and Tiffin the emergency department at the North Liberty campus will increase access for these communities (as well as Coralville and surrounding areas) and provide emergency medicine closer to home,” UIHC officials said The most recent Board of Regents report on UIHC emergency room use showed wait times on the rise — up 40 percent from 2018 to 2022 — with the average length of an ER stay swelling from under 4.5 hours to as high as seven the average number of patients who were boarding in the ER overnight waiting on an inpatient bed swelled to 35 a day typical ER wait time on the main campus can top three hours — with the average percent of patients who leave without being seen hovering at 4 percent the North Liberty ER on most days at most times showed single-digit-minute waits That’s similar to times for the UIHC Downtown ER “With less than a week of operational data it’s too soon to determine what sort of impact the new (emergency department) has had on wait times at UI Health Care’s two other hospitals,” Vessel said But UIHC does expect more than 10,000 patients to come through its North Liberty ER this first year — potentially absorbing some of the system’s 54,110 total ER visits in 2024 And the new campus’ ER patients will amount to just a fraction of the total traffic through that hospital — which boasts 36 inpatient beds with room to add 12 more; 84 exam rooms; 12 operating rooms with room to add four; two procedure rooms; one retail pharmacy with a 24-hour drive-through; and a large physical therapy and rehab gym visible to passersby behind a large glass wall imprinted with a Tiger Hawk The campus offers a walk-in clinic for same-day acute orthopedic injuries a gift shop and dedicated space for teaching It also has free patient parking and sweeping natural light “One of the cool things about this space is when you look into the exam rooms they all have windows and natural light that comes in which is not the norm in emergency departments,” UIHC Associate Chief Nursing Officer Emily Ward told reporters during a tour of the ER “And we see that throughout the entire building — a lot of natural light in the patient care spaces.” Suspended by stainless steel cables above the heads of visitors entering the main atrium of the new hospital is a 27-foot-tall sculpture inspired by the anatomy of a single stem of big bluestem prairie grass — native to the hospital’s site — and informed by the “porous nature and growth of cancellous bone,” according to university officials Its artist — Seattle-based John Grade — used all Alaskan yellow cedar wood for the piece which was brought in as four sections and assembled on site these clinics that physical therapy down there at the end walk-in injury clinics — all of these things allow us to expand our care to a wider range of population,” Larry Marsh chair of the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation said during a recent ribbon-cutting for the facility “is really challenging when you're in the basement of a tertiary care center” — where the department previously was — “with the parking and the challenges for patients — not just us.” “We call that the lower level,” UI Health Care Chief Executive Officer Bradley Haws joked during the ribbon-cutting about Marsh’s “basement” reference and often we would have trash cans gathering rain and other things that were leaking and occasional floods there we still have more people that want to occupy the space that Dr Marsh and his department are vacating.” Although the university hasn’t shared publicly its plans for the former orthopedics home on the main campus its state application to build in North Liberty aired intentions to create space for 65 to 80 more inpatient beds there “Operational plans are underway for the former orthopedics space,” Vessel told The Gazette “Those plans will be presented to the Board of Regents in the near future.” UIHC’s push to expand “to a wider range of population” was among the controversial aspects of the project when it first went before the State Health Facilities Council in early 2020 — and was denied a certificate of need to build applicants must show that less-costly alternatives aren’t available or practical; existing facilities are being used appropriately; alternatives like sharing arrangements have been considered and implemented to the extent possible; and patients will have serious problems getting care without the proposed facility “The letters and testimony established a lack of collaboration by the UIHC with local providers that excess capacity exists at current facilities that the UIHC is proposing to conduct procedures that could be provided by the community-based hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers in the area and a substantial concern about the future viability of existing facilities if the UIHC is allowed to build the hospital,” according to the council’s written decision at the time “UIHC plans to hire 535 staff for the new hospital.” “Noted by the opposition during testimony were concerns that the UIHC would actively recruit staff from Mercy Iowa City and other providers in the area.” Mercy Iowa City, two years after the university eventually got the go-ahead to build in North Liberty, filed for bankruptcy following years of financial troubles. The university acquired it in a bankruptcy auction for $28 million Following the state’s initial North Liberty-project denial in 2021, UIHC resubmitted an application stripping any reference to orthopedics and focusing on its ability to treat the sickest of the sick “The requested construction and modernization to UIHC’s institutional health facility at Forevergreen Road will accomplish UIHC’s goal of serving unmet tertiary transfer demand,” according to the revised application “UIHC acknowledges that there are available beds in the state of Iowa Not all of these beds have the personnel and technology to serve patients that need tertiary care and that is where UIHC’s lack of infrastructure to meet that need seriously harms patients.” Conceding some of its tertiary-care expansion would happen on the main campus UIHC in its application said “modernization cannot occur unless UIHC is able to decant some of its services to Forevergreen Road.” In a recent online frequently-asked-questions on the new campus “More Iowans need our care and expertise — particularly in orthopedics and emergency medicine.” “Patients also welcome the opportunity to get a prescription filled and/or have imaging done without needing to drive/park/navigate at the university campus they want greater access and greater convenience.” UI Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Rod Lehnertz called the increase a “worst-case” scenario and hoped to return to the board with a “revised downward budget.” “We brought this building in on time and under budget.” “The total cost of the project has not been finalized but leaders expect it to be under budget.” Staffing — and how the university planned to do it in North Liberty — was among the questions state councilors asked UIHC officials during the 2021 application process Officials said about 1,000 employees will work in North Liberty — including orthopedics faculty “While we do not anticipate many direct impacts on staffing levels at our other campuses certain areas may look a little different as we move certain orthopedic services to the North Liberty campus,” UIHC said in its FAQ UIHC as of Friday had 73 open North Liberty-campus positions its jobs website listed more than 800 open health care related jobs including more than 500 nursing or nurse-related roles In addition to the North Liberty site, the university is pursuing an 842,000-gross-square-foot inpatient tower on its main campus slated to cost more than $1 billion That tower would be nearly double the 469,000-square-foot North Liberty hospital and be two-thirds bigger than the 507,000-square-foot Stead Family Children’s Hospital officials noted in their North Liberty FAQ “The 60-acre North Liberty campus allows for future building expansion.” Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com including Iowa’s public universities The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved and navigate your visit to the North Liberty campus is available here Learn about all of the services offered at our new North Liberty Campus That’s what you’ll find at our North Liberty campus—a new hospital and medical office building and home to the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and other amenities—and available space for clinical training and education plus additional room for future growth—it’s a facility that will serve Iowans for generations Take a behind-the-scenes look with construction photos from the North Liberty campus Explore what’s planned for the North Liberty campus including architectural renderings and a floor-by-floor overview of spaces and services Join a team at the North Liberty Campus that’s changing medicine and changing lives in our community—and building for the future of Iowa in South Bend to the late Harold and Lois (Litteral) Blosser John graduated from North Liberty High School and went on to work as a Grade Foreman for Reith and Riley for 30 years.  John served faithfully to the citizens of North Liberty for 39 years as a member of the North Liberty Fire Dept John married Leta (Annette) Clingenpeel in North Liberty his grandchildren; Breanna Wright and Seth Wright and his siblings; Nancy (Russ) Medeiros and James Blosser John was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers; Keith Blosser and Randy Blosser Visitation for John will be held from 10am until 12pm on Saturday April 19 at the Palmer Funeral Home-North Liberty Chapel North Liberty.  A funeral service will begin at 12pm and burial will follow at Westlawn Cemetery memorial contributions may be made to the Liberty/Green Fire Territory PO Box 813 North Liberty Online condolences to the family may be sent via the Palmer Funeral Homes website at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com Liberty Township Fire Dept/Green Fire TerritoryPO Box 813 Public invited to open house and celebration April 12 The University of Iowa Health Care medical campus in North Liberty Iowa—the first newly constructed hospital facility away from UI Health Care’s university campus—will welcome its first patients to the medical center’s orthopedic clinics and operating rooms Located at the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965 in North Liberty the campus joins UI Health Care’s university and downtown campuses providing greater access to patient care services for the community The North Liberty location will serve as the new home for the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation An emergency department with a Level 4 trauma center and clinical lab services also will be available.  “This is a historic moment for UI Health Care,” says Denise Jamieson UI vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine “We know more Iowans want access to our care and expertise This new campus will make it easier for patients to receive nationally recognized and other services closer to where they live here in the community and surrounding areas Patients from across Iowa with orthopedic care needs also will have greater access and convenience at our North Liberty location.   “We think patients and families will be impressed—and excited—about the facilities and their care experience at North Liberty,” Jamieson adds “We’re eager to share what we’ve built for Iowans and how it will increase access to our patient care services while also advancing medical research and education.”  UI Health Care staff and the public are invited to an open house from 10 a.m Tours of the new North Liberty medical center will be available The campus green space around the facility will feature autograph sessions with select Iowa Hawkeye athletes select outdoor activities will move inside the medical center.  The North Liberty campus will provide a full range of musculoskeletal care—surgery and inpatient care and a walk-in clinic specifically for acute orthopedic injuries—all under one roof The North Liberty medical center also will serve as the primary location for UI Sports Medicine services.  Patient flow within the North Liberty medical center will create a seamless experience for patients Diagnostic imaging is integrated on each clinic floor for example—orthopedic patients will be able to get a scan and then proceed directly to their clinic exam room.  an on-site anesthesia clinic will offer same-day preoperative care Outpatient orthopedic surgery and outpatient follow-up care after discharge also will be available at the North Liberty medical center And with pharmacy and physical therapy/rehab services also on-site orthopedic patients will be able to get their medication prescriptions and rehab after their clinic appointment or procedure before leaving the campus.  “We’ve always provided the most comprehensive treatments and follow-up care for orthopedic patients—from the routine to the most complex and challenging musculoskeletal problems,” says J we’ll be able to provide even greater care and service to patients in our community and from across the state there isn’t another center like this in Iowa.”  The 60-acre campus holds a three-level hospital and five-level medical office building with outpatient clinics and space for clinical research and teaching activities The 469,000-square-foot facility includes:  Providing greater access and convenience for patients at the North Liberty campus will help meet increased demand for musculoskeletal care as Iowans age and need complex The relocation of orthopedics and rehabilitation services also will create available space for other care services, medical education and training, and clinical research at the university campus, notes Brad Haws CEO of UI Health Care’s clinical enterprise.  “Space at our university campus is in high demand—nearly all of our clinical departments can use additional space to treat patients “We will be intentional in planning how to renovate newly available space and determining what services may move or expand at our university—and downtown—campuses.”  UI Health Care leaders received permission to proceed with planning for multiple renovation projects at the university campus over the next decade.   UI Health Care has a number of resources for journalism and media outlets a new service zone for the Cambus On-Demand Shuttle will launch with service to UI Health Care Medical Center North Liberty The service zone will connect the Health Sciences Interchange The additional service will transport riders from the University of Iowa campus to and from the medical center Service to UI Health Care Medical Center North Liberty will be available on weekdays from 6 a.m “On-demand service provides a flexible and more responsive option for connecting these two campus areas,” says Mia Brunelli The new facility on UI Health Care’s North Liberty campus— located on the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965—hosts patient services along with research facilities The Cambus On-Demand Shuttle is fare-free and accessible to the public It provides service upon passenger request to stops within designated service zones The service zones mark areas of campus where the shuttle can be requested to pick-up and drop-off passengers Riders can also request pick-up and drop-off between two different zones Riders may request a ride from the Cambus On-Demand Shuttle in multiple ways:  Scheduling a ride in the Cambus Now app  Call Cambus dispatch at 319-335-8633 to schedule a ride  Board the shuttle at its staging location and request a ride directly to the driver  Visit the Cambus On-Demand Shuttle Service webpage to learn more about requesting service riders will need a free user account to use on-demand services Riders may create their own account in the Cambus Now app or Cambus staff can create an account for a rider at the time a ride is requested.  For assistance with Cambus On-Demand Shuttle services, contact the Cambus dispatcher at 319-335-8633 or email cambus-transit@uiowa.edu Admin Login It takes an extraordinary amount of planning and skill to build a world-class academic medical campus from the ground up From the initial site excavation in October 2021 to the opening in April 2025 the UI Health Care North Liberty campus stands as a testament to collaboration and coordination And it serves as our commitment to providing specialized care and expertise in orthopedics and rehabilitation Use the slider function with the images below to see how far we’ve come for the community NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa — Iowa's News Now is learning new details about a major $100 million Urban Central District redevelopment project that's in the works in North Liberty The project is expected to bring a variety of facilities to the area and medical services in addition to new housing The Lion Development Group is behind the 20-acre redevelopment planning 65,000 square feet of commercial space and a minimum of 350 residential units The project will go up in the area of Cherry Street "We're gonna take 15 parcels of undeveloped and we're gonna turn it into something that the city can benefit from not only from driving more growth to the city of North Liberty But also from a tax revenue standpoint," Brandon Pratt said "We're optimistic that in the 20-year timeframe that the city is gonna be able to recoup their money and then going forward they're going to be net positive." Pratt is one of the owners of the Lion Development Group and has lived in North Liberty most of his life He says this project is something that he thinks everyone will benefit from City Administrator Ryan Heiar says the city needs this redevelopment The development group is asking for a $20 million investment upfront from the city for this project so they can get the land ready for the work instead of tax rebates after the project is complete The preparation of the site and work to make the land ready for work will cost approximately $27 million according to the estimates by the development group The city council has approved that $20 million incentive for the project and is borrowing the funds to make it happen The hope is that the tax generated from this redevelopment will pay off the $20 million borrowed by the city "We are in the process of working out terms of an agreement that would provide the developers $20 million upfront as the project progresses," Heiar said "And the city would borrow this money and then repay it with the taxes that are eventually paid by this development over the course of the next 25 years." There is currently approximately 80,000 square feet of occupied building space that will require removal and relocation of current businesses in the area but Pratt says the developers are helping those businesses with the relocation process "We've had conversations with all the tenants We've had to create monetary agreements with some of them We've had to relocate some of them," Pratt said "When we went and had a conversation with them we already had a series of backup opportunities that we could present to them this project will also work on the infrastructural aspects of the area by working on flood ground mitigation demolition and removal of numerous buildings The project is currently estimated at $100 million but construction costs could potentially climb up to $150 million The development group says they are prepared for any of the changes that might come along the way during the construction period of this project "We're going to do it the right way with strategic growth and the right partners Something we're going to keep an eye on but we're optimistic that it's going to move forward quickly," Pratt said North Liberty City Council is planning to have a public hearing on Tuesday Lion Development Group tells Iowa's News Now they plan to start construction this fall and the first building could go up by spring of 2026 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInNORTH LIBERTY Iowa (KCRG) - University of Iowa Health Care held a ribbon-cutting Friday for its new campus in North Liberty The new hospital is located at Forevergreen Road and Coral Ridge Avenue UI Health Care said when the North Liberty campus opens on April 28 it will mean greater access to care for Iowans It will also be the new home for the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation “On April 28th this will certainly be the newest muscular skeletal hospital in the country if not two or three largest in the country,” J Chair of the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation this will be the most beautiful and most remarkable.” The new facility will have a Level 4 trauma center Career opportunities available across clinical and support services University of Iowa Health Care is ramping up hiring efforts for its new North Liberty campus The new campus includes a three-level hospital and five-level medical office building and spaces to support medical education and research Positions are available across clinical and support services—offering career opportunities for professionals with various levels of experience and skill sets to grow and make a positive impact with Iowa's only comprehensive academic health system A variety of shifts and flexible scheduling options are available for many of these positions.        “Our North Liberty campus provides an array of exciting opportunities for qualified applicants to explore their passion in a career that makes a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of patients and families,” says Amy O’Deen chief administrative officer for the North Liberty campus “We're excited about our progress and look forward to expanding access to care and serving Iowans in a world-class center of excellence.”  The North Liberty campus will be home to the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and offer a comprehensive range of musculoskeletal care—orthopedic surgery and outpatient clinics —in a convenient and easily accessible location.  It will also include a full-service Emergency Department a walk-in clinic for same-day treatment of orthopedic injuries indoor/outdoor physical therapy and rehabilitation services laboratory and diagnostic imaging capabilities Patients at the North Liberty campus can expect coordinated streamlined care so they can get the treatments and therapies they need to recover quickly and return to their regular daily activities External applicants interested in opportunities at the North Liberty campus may visit uihc.org/nljobs to search for positions that match their skills and interests Current UI Health Care or university employees may view and apply for open positions at the North Liberty campus through the university's Employee Self-Service portal select "Career and Performance" and click on "Apply for Job Opportunities." greater access to state-of-the-art imaging University of Iowa Health Care’s North Liberty campus will offer a wide range of advanced diagnostic imaging services—giving patients more options when it comes to getting a scan for diagnostic or treatment-related purposes Any UI Health Care patient may choose to schedule imaging at the North Liberty location “Our mission includes supporting our clinical service lines and by offering greater access and convenience the North Liberty location allows us to improve the quality of life for Iowans,” says Howard O’Rourke clinical associate professor and medical director of musculoskeletal radiology in the Department of Radiology “The setting and institutional support at the North Liberty campus furthers our clinical mission by improving Iowans' access to leading imaging equipment and outstanding orthopedic surgeons and clinicians.” While the North Liberty facility will house the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and a Level 4 emergency department imaging services at North Liberty are available for a broad range of conditions and specialties Whether it’s for a heart condition or related to obstetrics care patients who schedule a scan at the North Liberty campus will receive the same imaging expertise available at other UI Health Care locations Located less than two miles from Interstate 380 and with surface-level parking right next to the main entrance the North Liberty facility will be a convenient option for patients throughout the community and surrounding area state-of-the-art facility that will offer outstanding radiology care,” notes Bruno Policeni “The imaging protocols and interpretation of images at this location will match those provided at other UI Health Care locations This ensures that patients have another choice and flexibility to select where they receive their imaging services.” The North Liberty campus will house state-of-the-art imaging technology throughout the facility This includes a photon-counting computer tomography (CT) scanner one of only two of its kind in clinical use in Iowa; the other such scanner is located at UI Health Care’s university campus CT scans combine X-rays and computer technology to create detailed images of bones CT scans provide greater detail than standard X-rays and photon-counting CT produces the highest-resolution CT images Imaging technology provided at the North Liberty campus will include: The North Liberty facility will be staffed by radiology technologists as well as subspecialized radiologists who are trained to interpret imaging results and provide guidance on treatment compassionate technologist guiding them through their imaging study on exceptional imaging equipment followed by a subspecialized radiology interpretation,” O’Rourke says.  To learn more about career opportunities at the North Liberty campus, visit uihc.org/NLjobs One of the state's most impressive new hospitals has an official opening date The University of Iowa Health Care campus in North Liberty will open on April 28 The $525 million facility sits on 60 acres at the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965 The university first broke ground on the campus in 2021 When it opens, the hospital will be the state’s only comprehensive academic health center featuring both clinic space and teaching and research facilities "This is a historic moment for UI Health Care," UI Vice President for Medical Affairs and Carver College of Medicine Dean Denise Jamieson said in the release "We know more Iowans want access to our care and expertise and other services closer to where they live here in the community and surrounding areas." More: Harper Steele returns for 'Will & Harper' screening and discussion at Englert Theatre The new hospital will feature 84 clinic exam rooms plus a unique indoor and outdoor physical therapy space The facility will also house much of the University of Iowa's orthopedic and sports medicine departments More: Iowa City Federal Building home to VA Clinic, could be sold - or maybe not The North Liberty building will be anchored by an emergency department with a level four trauma center “We think patients and families will be impressed — and excited — about the facilities and their care experience at North Liberty,” Jamieson said “We’re eager to share what we’ve built for Iowans and how it will increase access to our patient care services while also advancing medical research and education.”  More: Weilein secures Iowa City City Council seat, defeating Nusser in special election The university is inviting healthcare staff and members of the public to attend an open house from 10 a.m A few University of Iowa athletes will be on hand for autographs at the hospital's outdoor green space The university said in a release that STEM activities and other games will also be available as part of the open house Food trucks from area businesses are also expected Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X