McFarland Clinic plans to continue serving Greene County
The Greene County Medical Center board of trustees at its June 19 meeting voted unanimously to give the required one-year termination notice for the lease agreement between the medical center and McFarland Clinic for office space located within the medical center. The decision follows the board’s May 13 approval of a partnership with UnityPoint Clinic to provide family care providers in the county.
McFarland Clinic, based in Ames, has provided healthcare in Jefferson since 1994. McFarland spokesperson Shelley Goecke said Friday that the clinic will communicate directly with its patients its intention to continue to serve Greene County patients. “We will continue to practice in Jefferson and to ensure continuity of care for our patients,” Goecke said.
She said the clinic is in the process of finding another location in Jefferson.
According to a Greene County Medical Center press release, the medical center trustees in May directed CEO Carl Behne to make necessary plans for UnityPoint Clinic to open in Jefferson. The initial review of space made it clear that having UnityPoint Clinic on the medical center campus would increase efficiencies and improve care coordination of services currently available at the medical center
“UnityPoint Clinic is well established throughout Iowa and has the resources and depth of providers and services to offer high-quality, community-based care, thereby benefiting all those served by Greene County Medical Center,” Behne said. “Having health care providers – physicians, nurse practitioners laboratory services, a full host of medical professionals – offering care coordination that allows patients to be cared for close to where they live is key. Such accessibility to health care services is integral to a healthy and growing community such as ours.”
“As Greene County and the surrounding areas grow, it is imperative Greene County Medical Center build a network of healthcare providers and services that can serve our communities,” said Jim Schleisman, board chair. “UnityPoint Clinic shares the board’s values for providing that high quality care here in our community.”
Behne said Friday morning that a search for UnityPoint Clinic providers in Jefferson is already underway, and that some who have ties or roots in Greene County have already indicated an interest in relocating and working in the county. “We will continue to grow and develop and nurture leads to have providers in place,” he said.
He anticipates UnityPoint Clinic will initially have two physicians and a nurse practitioner, possibly in place well before next June. They will have office space in the medical center until the current clinic space at the west end of the building is available next June 19.
According to Behne, many area residents already drive away from Jefferson to see UnityPoint Clinic physicians. He thinks area residents will see quickly the value of “connectivity” in the relationship between UnityPoint Clinic physicians and Greene County Medical Center, a UnityPoint – Des Moines hospital.
There are 50 UnityPoint Clinic locations staffed by 290 physicians in Iowa.
Behne said the decisions the board has made regarding UnityPoint Clinic “are all calculated, well thought out. The board has worked diligently for two years to get to where we are now.”
McFarland Clinic patients will receive letters in the coming weeks apprising them of anticipated changes.
