University of Iowa Children’s Hospital Opens This Week

The wait is finally almost over.

An email from University of Iowa Health Care has announced the doors to the University of Iowa Children's Hospital will open this week, more than two months after the originally scheduled opening date.

According to the Iowa City Press-Citizen, the email, sent Saturday afternoon, stated “We are happy to share that on Friday, Feb. 17, we received permission from the State Fire Marshal to enable our phased move into the new University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. This means that we are able to set a firm date for the move, which should be next week. We will make the final determination and notify everyone after meeting with our construction management and implementation teams, who are finalizing some last-minute items.”

This news contradicts a report in the Cedar Rapids Gazette report Saturday that the opening wouldn't happen until this spring. That was attributed to the University of Iowa's senior vice president for finance and operations, Rod Lehnertz. The email simply says it's incorrect:

“You may have read today that the move may be later this spring — that is not the case. Construction at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital has continued at a steady pace, along with staff training and building load activities. This weekend, our nurses and other staff are here doing final preparations.”

The email was sent for three people. They're Scott Turner, the children's hospital's executive director; Ken Kates, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics CEO; Jean E. Robillard, whose the vice president for medical affairs.

The delay of the hospital's opening, originally scheduled for early December, was announced November 30. The delays are nearly over and the new premier children's hospital in Iowa will see patients very soon.

[via Iowa City Press-Citizen and Gazette]