Great River Friends has donated $142,397.40 to Great River Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa. The money will fund projects that enhance patient and family experiences.
The largest portions of the donation will be used to purchase waiting room chairs for the main hospital, Eastman Plaza and Mercy Plaza lobbies, and to renovate the hospital’s interior courtyard, which is surrounded by patient rooms on two sides.
Other projects funded are:
- Ultrasound scanning table
- MRI audio table
- Prostate biopsy system
- Interactive electronic kiosks for wayfinding
- Plants and flowers for indoor and outdoor planters
- Supplies for making comfort pillows for patients
- Swaddling sleep sacks for newborns
- Donor breast milk for newborns who need it
- Life-enhancement materials for the Behavioral Health Unit, critical care areas, Hospice, Klein Center and Pediatrics Unit
Great River Medical Center in West Burlington and Fort Madison Community Hospital will become one hospital with two locations Thursday, July 1. The new name will be Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center.
In December 2020, Great River Health, which operates the hospitals, announced it would apply to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for Sole Community Hospital (SCH) classification in July. The SCH program was created to maintain access to needed health services for Medicare beneficiaries in rural communities by providing greater reimbursement. Hospitals must meet specific criteria for SCH classification, including distance from other hospitals. To meet the proximity requirement, Great River Medical Center and Fort Madison Community Hospital will become one hospital with two campuses.
Last December, Great River Health President and CEO said: “This rapid timeline is in response to the pandemic’s financial impact on the hospitals, and it will help ensure long-term financial sustainability for health care in southeast Iowa.”
Great River Medical Center and Fort Madison Community Hospital became partners under Great River Health Aug. 1, 2018. Because integration began two years ago, patients will notice few changes beyond the new name.
The opportunity for the SCH program triggered the name change. In December, Wenzel said: “It would have been easiest to apply one existing name to the other location, but this is an opportunity to rebrand and strengthen our partnership. ”
***Report Courtesy of Great River Health***
