It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Old Town Hall of Coralville in Coralville, IA gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Coralville, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting North Ridge Park in Coralville, IA with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Chez Grace - Nouveau French Cuisine or visit Johnson County Historical Society, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Coralville, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Coralville, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Coralville, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
CORALVILLE — Coralville is going Dutch with a new coffee shop .At Tuesday night’s meeting, the council approved a rezoning request for the areas of 622 and 626 First Avenue in Coralville.The multi-tenant building will be anchored by a 1,304-square-foot coffee shop, identified in the city notes as a Dutch Bros. The property will have an additional 4,233 square feet of space intended for office space.Ryan Fitzpatrick, a representative for the developer Allcor told the council he could not confirm who the tenant...
CORALVILLE — Coralville is going Dutch with a new coffee shop .
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the council approved a rezoning request for the areas of 622 and 626 First Avenue in Coralville.
The multi-tenant building will be anchored by a 1,304-square-foot coffee shop, identified in the city notes as a Dutch Bros. The property will have an additional 4,233 square feet of space intended for office space.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, a representative for the developer Allcor told the council he could not confirm who the tenant was, but that it would be a new business to the area. A representative for Dutch Bros said the company “did not have any information to share” in regard to confirming the new location.
The building will be next to the Chick-fil-A on First Avenue, and the pair will share a drive through. The proposed construction will connect to First Avenue and East Seventh Street with an additional 40 parking spaces proposed.
The council approved the first and second reading of the rezoning request Tuesday night and waived the third reading at the developer’s request. This is out of the ordinary for normal proceedings, where council would approve one reading at each of two or three meetings.
Typically, the council will approve one reading at one meeting and the second reading at the second reading. If both are “yes” votes, the council can choose not to move forward with a third.
Fitzpatrick told the council the developer was asking for two readings approved in one night for timing purposes. By expediting the process, the developer will be able to break ground on the project in early November, instead of having to wait for a second reading at a later date.
“That is driven by a specific tenant that would like to occupy this center, and they would like that delivery done at a specific date next year,” he said.
The purchase of the property is expected to close in November, according to the developer, and depended on the approval of the rezoning. Both motions to rezone passed unanimously.
There is no word on when the building will be complete or when the coffee shop will open.
CORALVILLE — Coralville is asking the Iowa City school district to OK a long-term lease for the competition swimming pool that is to be part of the city’s new recreation center.The Iowa City district is no longer able to fulfill its promise to contribute $14 million for the construction of Coralville’s recreation center — which the city hopes to break ground on in March — after years of overspending and failing to accurately project revenue.Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said Coralvil...
CORALVILLE — Coralville is asking the Iowa City school district to OK a long-term lease for the competition swimming pool that is to be part of the city’s new recreation center.
The Iowa City district is no longer able to fulfill its promise to contribute $14 million for the construction of Coralville’s recreation center — which the city hopes to break ground on in March — after years of overspending and failing to accurately project revenue.
Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said Coralville will be unable to build the competition pool without a financial commitment — in the form of a long-term lease — from the school district.
“We’re really trying to work with the school district to help provide the best facility we can for both students, athletes and the community,” Hayworth told The Gazette on Thursday. “I don’t anticipate we would be able to afford a competition pool (without the lease) nor would we need that for our uses.”
Hayworth on Thursday said he could not release the proposed terms of that long-term lease, though a number has been provided to the school district.
The proposal will be shared with the Iowa City school board during a 6 p.m. Tuesday meeting at the Educational Services Center, 2255 N. Dubuque Road, Iowa City. The meeting is open to the public.
Not having a competition pool could put some Iowa City school swim programs at risk.
The West and Liberty high school swim programs — which have a single, combined team — currently practice at the existing Coralville Recreation Center. The new competition pool would have allowed each school to have its own swim team.
The existing Coralville Recreation Center, at 1506 Eighth St., will be demolished once the new facility opens.
Hayworth said he would like the Iowa City district to make a decision by the end of the month on whether it can commit to a long-term lease, so the city can move forward with the final design of the recreation center and pool and begin construction in the spring.
The cost of the new Coralville recreation center is approximately $58 million.
As planned, the new recreation center would have three gymnasiums, an elevated track, a spa and three pools: a 20-lane competition pool with spectator seating, a leisure pool, and a recreation and community lap pool.
Coralville voters in November 2025 approved a local-option sales tax to fund the recreation center, with 85% of voters supporting the tax.
The Iowa City district’s capital projects funds are strained, with a projected $21.5 million in revenue available over the next seven fiscal years. But possible projects, including security cameras, technology upgrades and turf field replacements, total about $32 million, according to a presentation to the Iowa City school board Tuesday.
Curt Pratt, the district’s chief operating officer, said the district will have to identify its priorities and “where we are going to spend our money.”
An Iowa City school board member questioned if the district can fulfill its promise of $14.5 million toward construction of new Coralville Recreation Center and pool.
In April, the district was informed by its financial adviser that its Secure An Advanced Vision for Education — or SAVE, a capital projects fund — has been leveraged through 2039. This means the district will need to look at another capital projects fund or voter-approved general obligation bonds to fund any large capital projects over the next decade.
In May, the Iowa City school board voted to pause a plan for more than $100 million in facility projects — including the $14 million contribution to the Coralville recreation center — amid ongoing questions about the district’s finances.
Iowa City school district leaders are preparing for the “worst-case scenario,” with a plan to cut $13.8 million in spending next year and possibly up to $18.7 million over the following three years.
The Iowa City school board has directed an ad hoc Attendance Boundary Analysis Committee to create a proposal for how the district could change school attendance boundaries and close and consolidate schools to reduce costs.
The district will have no money to spend on proposals to close and consolidate schools, such as adding or renovating classrooms additional students in a building, Pratt said.
School board member Charlie Eastham said he would consider approving some of the projects listed Tuesday when the time comes.
“I don’t see changing our operating funding as affecting our ability to complete these projects, and if they’re educationally, instructionally appropriate, I think we should consider going ahead and evaluating them,” Eastham said.
“The thing is, we don’t have to make a decision tonight on these projects,” school board President Ruthina Malone said. “This is just the road map to have in our hand as we continue to look at our finances of possible future projects to consider."
“We can keep watching our balances, making sure that things are updated and correct before we start diving into those decisions,” she said.
Grace King covers K-12 education for The Gazette. She can be reached at [email protected] or (319) 398-8411.
CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) - The City of Coralville is suing Iowa’s Board of Regents, which oversees the University of Iowa, claiming the university’s health care system promised to build medical offices that never materialized.The city filed the lawsuit in the Iowa District Court for Johnson County Sept. 18.The dispute stems from a 2015 agreement between the city, University of Iowa Health Care (UIHC) and hotel chain DDC hotels to develop medical offices, a hotel and parking at the Iowa River Landing.UIHC had o...
CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) - The City of Coralville is suing Iowa’s Board of Regents, which oversees the University of Iowa, claiming the university’s health care system promised to build medical offices that never materialized.
The city filed the lawsuit in the Iowa District Court for Johnson County Sept. 18.
The dispute stems from a 2015 agreement between the city, University of Iowa Health Care (UIHC) and hotel chain DDC hotels to develop medical offices, a hotel and parking at the Iowa River Landing.
UIHC had opened a clinic in the shopping and entertainment district in 2012. The memorandum of understanding from 2015 states UIHC is “planning to construct” a second medical office building at the Iowa River Landing no later than 2018.
A second medical office was never built there.
According to the lawsuit, the city spent more than $11 million on a parking ramp - more than $6 million to design and construct it and more than $5 million in financing costs for the proposed building to include access the roundabout.
Coralville is alleging a breach of contract, calling the memorandum of understanding “valid and enforceable” and insisting the city held up its end of the bargain.
The lawsuit also states that UIHC leadership reaffirmed commitments to develop the area at several points in 2016 through correspondence with the city.
A June 2016 register of the university’s Capital Improvement Business Transactions listed the medical office development as an opportunity to “relocate existing ambulatory orthopedic services from the main campus.” The lawsuit cites this register and also states the then-proposed future facility may also replace some operating rooms from the main campus, accommodate up to 200,000 clinic visits a year and cost approximately $100 million.
In the meantime, UIHC opened a new campus in North Liberty in 2025 which cost more than $525 million.
The Iowa State Health Facilities Council initially denied UIHC’s request to build that facility in 2021 and then approved a resubmitted application.
The city is requesting a jury trial, compensatory damages from the alleged breach of contract, plus interest, attorney’s fees and other expenses.
The city told TV9 it would not comment on pending litigation.
The university provided this statement:
“The University of Iowa has worked for more than two years with Coralville to resolve this matter. Because the university values the long-standing partnership it made a concrete proposal to resolve the dispute despite believing there isn’t merit to Coralville’s claims. We strongly disagree with Coralville’s claim that the university is obligated to construct a second facility, and we are disappointed the city has chosen litigation rather than continuing to work toward a resolution. Our priority remains expanding access to high-quality health care for Iowans.”
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CORALVILLE — The city of Coralville is suing its longtime partner and collaborator University of Iowa Health Care for millions after UIHC built in North Liberty the orthopedic hospital it originally promised in Coralville.To pave the way for the “Ortho Institute” that UIHC committed to construct as a second medical office building in the Iowa River Landing District a decade ago, Coralville developed the necessary infrastructure — building a new parking ramp, acquiring more land and installing sewer service, amo...
CORALVILLE — The city of Coralville is suing its longtime partner and collaborator University of Iowa Health Care for millions after UIHC built in North Liberty the orthopedic hospital it originally promised in Coralville.
To pave the way for the “Ortho Institute” that UIHC committed to construct as a second medical office building in the Iowa River Landing District a decade ago, Coralville developed the necessary infrastructure — building a new parking ramp, acquiring more land and installing sewer service, among other things.
“The City of Coralville incurred over six million dollars to design and construct the parking ramp and over five million dollars in financing costs for the parking ramp so UIHC’s (medical office building II) could have ingress to and egress from the roundabout,” according to a lawsuit the city filed a week ago against the Board of Regents and UIHC in Johnson County Court.
The lawsuit cited a 2015 memorandum of understanding between the city, university and DDC Hotels Inc. — of the Drury Hotels chain — for development of the medical office building, a hotel and a parking facility.
“UIHC has not honored its commitment to develop (the second medical office building) at the Iowa River Landing,” according to the lawsuit, alleging breach of contract.
“UIHC’s breaches of its promises have resulted in harm to the City of Coralville, specifically, the City of Coralville expended millions of dollars in reliance on the UIHC’s promises and had not had the benefits of (medical office building II),” the lawsuit states. “Therefore, the City of Coralville respectfully requests a judgment in its favor and against UIHC for reliance and compensatory damages resulting from UIHC’s breaches of contract plus accrued interest, attorney’s fees, costs and expenses, and other relief that is just and reasonable.”
When asked for comment, UIHC told The Gazette it has “worked for more than two years with Coralville to resolve this matter.”
“Because the university values the long-standing partnership it made a concrete proposal to resolve the dispute despite believing there isn’t merit to Coralville’s claims,” officials said in a statement. “We strongly disagree with Coralville's claim that the university is obligated to construct a second facility, and we are disappointed the city has chosen litigation rather than continuing to work toward a resolution. Our priority remains expanding access to high-quality health care for Iowans."
UIHC entered a memorandum of understanding with Coralville in August 2015 and got Board of Regents approval to proceed with planning the Iowa River Landing facility in June 2016. But in 2020, UIHC went to the state seeking permission to build what would become a $525.6 million, 469,060-square-foot orthopedic hospital at the southwest corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965 in North Liberty.
The state initially denied UIHC the certificate it needed to proceed — saying it would duplicate services available through community providers and it had not thoroughly vetted alternative collaborations and locations.
“UIHC indicates in its application that ‘multiple alternatives were considered to this proposal’,” according to the state’s denial. “Those alternatives were not described in detail either in the application or at hearing.”
The state and many community providers also critiqued the proposal’s orthopedic focus, prompting UIHC to remove all mentions of orthopedics from its renewed application in 2021 — which was approved, compelling the university just weeks later to break ground on the new hospital, which today stands as an “orthopedic hospital.”
After opening in April 2025 and exceeding first-year patient expectations — with more than 142,000 outpatient visits and 2,500 inpatient admissions — the university returned to the Board of Regents in April 2026 for permission to spend another $24 million building out shell space in the North Liberty hospital.
That build out of space left vacant during original construction will bring the total hospital price tag to nearly $550 million, about 39% above the project’s original approved cost of $395 million in 2021.
University of Iowa Health Care debuted its Iowa River Landing clinic in October 2012 — when just a handful of restaurants and businesses existed and eight years before Xtream Arena would open in 2020.
In preparation for a second building on site, Coralville, UIHC, and the hotel chain engaged in land swaps, according to the lawsuit, in addition to building a parking ramp with surface parking lot.
In affirming the UIHC commitment to build, then Vice President for Medical Affairs Jean Robillard in a May 2016 email to Coralville City Manager Kelly Hayworth discussed “future expansion” at Iowa River Landing and “bringing also ophthalmology and ENT on site right after we open the Ortho Institute.”
“We want to make sure we have space for expansion and growth and able to expand our ambulatory surgical center that we will build as part of the Ortho Institute,” Robillard wrote.
In June 2016, likewise, UIHC CFO Ken Fisher told Hayworth in a letter that, “UIHC has had a consistent vision of developing the southern part of IRL from 9th Street to 7th Street and east of 1st Ave., primarily as future clinic space.”
“The original designs for the IRL South project that were developed together with OM and the city included up to three additional buildings of about 200,000 sq. ft. each, and parking to support those three buildings during normal clinic operations,” he wrote. “These three buildings represented the future of UIHC and the growing volume of patients that we see on a daily basis.”
But Fisher warned, “We cannot support a design that does not provide growth of clinic buildings and the parking needed to support those buildings.”
In requesting regent approval to proceed with a new medical building in Iowa River Landing, UIHC said, “IRL South would make it possible to relocate existing ambulatory orthopedic services from the main campus with the potential to relocate additional services in the future.
“The project may also replace some operating rooms and associated facilities from the main campus,” according to board documents. “IRL South would be sized to accommodate up to 200,000 clinic visits per year. Patient and staff parking would be provided in an adjacent parking garage to be developed by the City of Coralville.”
The total anticipated cost of that project was about $100 million.
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