COMMUNITY NOTES: Bright future at Floyd County Medical Center

By Dawnett Willis, CEO, Floyd County Medical Center

Excitement fills the air at Floyd County Medical Center.

In June, we broke ground on a $40 million expansion project, the largest of its kind since the hospital was built in 1965.

When construction wraps up in the spring of 2026, the community will enjoy many new, state-of-the-art amenities, including an entrance with atrium, speech and occupational therapy departments, expansion to the lab department, more parking, a hospital pharmacy, and a three-story clinic that will house the Rural Health Family Practice Clinic and Outpatient Specialty Clinic.

Along with this ambitious expansion project, FCMC also began the process of building a new canopy over the emergency department entrance in September.

When completed, the canopy will shield patients accessing the hospital during inclement weather. Estimated completion of the canopy is the end of 2024.

Many of you know that these activities on campus have disrupted the normal flow for parking and traffic.

We thank you for your continued patience and flexibility during this time of transition. But we also would like to remind you that these changes have an end date.

By the start of 2025, patients will enjoy the new canopy over the emergency department –  just in time for the peak of the winter season. And in less than two years, FCMC will proudly display its new beautiful, expanded facility. The temporary trouble will be worth it!

We encourage you to visit the construction webpage on the FCMC website – www.fcmc.us.com/patients-visitors/construction-project-updates/ – so that you can stay informed on these latest updates.

As our campus has expanded, so have our cardiology services.

In July, the department moved into its new spacious home on the west wing of the second floor, with patient rooms for cardiac clinic, echocardiograms and office space for cardiologists, staff and leadership, as well as a new cardiac rehab gym.

An open house is planned for Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. We invite the community to stop by and see this wonderful new space for yourself.

In addition to our campus growth, FCMC is also growing our staff.

In September, we welcomed new visiting specialists Dr. Jeffrey Clark, an orthopedic surgeon, and his colleague Brenda Cooper, ARNP. They have served in the Cedar Falls area for more than 20 years and have extensive experience in orthopedics and sports medicine.

Since 2006, Dr. Clark has performed the direct anterior approach for total hip replacement, an alternative technique gaining popularity because of its shorter recovery time and decreased risk of dislocation.

Currently, Dr. Clark is the only surgeon in northeast Iowa using the Mako Stryker Robot for the direct anterior approach.

FCMC is thrilled to introduce this world-class orthopedic care to Charles City. Patients can call 641-257-4309 to schedule an appointment with this phenomenal orthopedic team today.

Additionally, the FCMC Clinic will have a new primary care provider joining our team this month. Jodi Bangasser, ARNP, specializes in adult gerontology and will split her time between the FCMC Clinic and the nursing homes in the area.

We are excited to welcome Jodi to our team, and we cannot wait to see how she uses her passion and expertise in geriatric care to serve the seniors in our community.

Furthermore, our Birth Center is currently on track to have 115 babies born by the end of 2024, continuing the significant growth we have seen over the past several years. We are honored that patients continue to entrust their pre- and post-natal care to FCMC, and we steward that responsibility proudly.

If you are an expectant mother, we would love to care for you and your baby. Call our Birth Center at 641-228-6830 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced physicians and certified nurse midwives who will work with you to provide the safest, most compassionate care for your birth plan.

Busy construction, expanded spaces, new team members, and more babies. These exciting changes demonstrate that FCMC remains committed to our mission of delivering exceptional, personalized health care with compassion.

As we continue to build our campus and expand our services, we hope that you can also see the bright future that is already shining here at Floyd County Medical Center.