This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance.(September 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
UnityPoint Finley Hospital is a 158-bed general hospital located in Dubuque, Iowa, serving the local community and surrounding areas. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Finley Hospital participates in the CMS Quality Initiative program and accepts Medicare for payment. The hospital offers a wide range of services, including acute renal dialysis, anesthesia, cardiac catheterization, laboratory services, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, obstetrics, emergency and psychiatric care, imaging (CT, MRI, PET, nuclear medicine), and various surgical procedures. Finley also provides specialized care in areas such as pediatric services, neonatal intensive care, and trauma. The hospital is accredited for providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services and operates a dedicated emergency department and intensive care units.[1][2][3]
Dr. Finley was Dubuque's first general physician and the second permanent physician of both the county of Dubuque and the state of Iowa.[1] He and his wife were active within the Dubuque community. They belonged to the early settler's group, helped organize the Presbyterian Church, and formed the Northwest Medical Society (currently known as the Dubuque County Medical Society).
Dr. John Finley reportedly dreamed of one day building the Finley Hospital. After his death, he left his property worth of $80,000 towards founding a hospital, that was to be conducted by Dubuque physicians. The articles of incorporation for The Finley Hospital Company were adopted on February 21, 1890, and the Finley residence was transformed into a twenty-seven-room hospital with forty beds.[5][6]
The first board of directors consisted of 20 men and 14 women. William Harrison Day Sr. served as president of the newly named Finley hospital board of trustees.[5]
The first patients were admitted in 1890. Finley Hospital was considered unique at the time, as it sent aged, insane or chronically ill patients to other facilities. Although it was able to house 40 patients, conditions were reported to be suboptimal, including performing surgeries in a glass-walled cupola to utilize available light.[5]
In 1896, Abraham Slimmer of Waverly, Iowa, pledged $50,000 to the hospital, contingent on Dubuque raising an equal amount by March 1, 1897. Henry L. Stout contributed $25,000, but local fundraising efforts stalled, prompting nearly daily appeals in the Dubuque Herald. By the final day, the community exceeded the target, raising $52,239.36 locally. The trustees allocated $25,000 for constructing a new building while investing the remainder to ensure perpetual income. Plans included repurposing the original building as a nurses' home and establishing a training school to provide affordable staffing and professional opportunities for women.[7][8][9][10][11]
In 1898, an pavilion addition was constructed at Finley Hospital using funds from the Finley bequest. The hospital, accommodating seventy patients, was opened for public inspection on June 25 and later on September 24, drawing six thousand visitors. The addition featured innovative designs, including Dubuque's first patient transfer system using elevators, steam heating to reduce infections, and a kitchen placed on the third floor to prevent cooking odors. Generous contributions furnished rooms and equipment, with Mrs. Fred O'Donnell providing the largest donation, including an electric lighting plant, operating room furnishings, and more. Opening day festivities were organized by the Dorothea Dix Circle, who raised funds in creative ways, such as dressing as streetcar conductors.[12][13][14]
In 1898, Finley Hospital established a nurses' training program, the first of its kind in the area outside Chicago. Applicants needed a high school diploma and physical stamina. The program included three months of instruction followed by two years of hospital work, with the first class of four nurses graduating in 1900. By 1902, the graduating class grew to twenty, and the original hospital building was repurposed as a nurses' home.[5]
In the same year, Henry L. Stout donated a state-of-the-art ambulance with advanced features such as curtained windows, ventilators, a heated interior, and rubber wheels. The ambulance, stored at Byrne Brothers, could be summoned at any time, with the cost covered by the city council's usual livery fees.[5]
Early 20th Century Expansions
By 1910, increasing demand led the hospital board to consider expanding facilities on the current grounds, while the public toured the new Lull Memorial Home for nurses during National Hospital Day. Finley was one of only thirteen Iowa hospitals with 100+ beds by the 1920s. Despite growth, significant charity work posed financial challenges. In 1920, free services cost the hospital $17,020.50, with only $4,168.46 offset by the Slimmer charity fund, resulting in a net loss of $12,852.64.[15][16][17]
The Women’s Auxiliary played a vital role at Finley Hospital, hosting annual “fruit showers” to provide patients with thousands of jars of fruit and jelly while funding charity work, repairs, and improvements. In 1921, Dr. F. P. McNamara was hired to lead the Pathological Laboratory, eliminating delays caused by sending specimens to other cities and improving local medical care. In 1925, the Sunshine Circle held a Better Baby Health Conference, examining children born at Finley under American Medical Society guidelines.[18][19][20]
Significant expansions followed, including a 1950 addition increasing bed capacity, operating rooms, and maternity facilities, and a cobalt therapy unit for cancer treatments in 1961. A $2.875 million expansion in 1973 added further facilities. In 1970, the Dubuque County Medical Society purchased multimedia educational materials for coronary care, benefiting Finley and other local hospitals.[21]
Modernization and Technological Advancement
In 1984, Finley Hospital announced the closure of its School of Nursing, citing declining enrollment and cost pressures, though current students were allowed to complete the program. In 1987, the hospital received a $1 million gift from the estate of Lester Wendt, the largest healthcare donation in Dubuque's history, to establish the Wendt Regional Cancer Center. Opened on November 13, 1987, the $3 million facility treated up to 60 patients daily with above-ground construction featuring seven-foot-thick walls. In 1989, Finley introduced Family Birthing Suites, allowing women to experience delivery and recovery in the same room.[22]
In 1990, Finley Hospital employed around 600 people, contributing approximately $100 million to the local economy, with $14 million spent on salaries, benefits, and supplies. It also provided valuable training for local college and technical students. In 1991, Finley introduced a policy allowing acute care patients to be visited by their pets, recognized for relieving stress. Due to growth in outpatient services, the hospital began a $1 million parking expansion project.[23]
In 1992, Finley announced an $11.3 million program to expand outpatient care, remodel the emergency center, and grow the health education center, driven by increased demand. The Babka Outpatient Care Unit was named in honor of Edward and Shirley Babka's contributions.[24][25]
Efforts to unionize began in 1995, and in 1996, Heartland AirMed started transporting patients. In December 1996, the Finley/Mercy Diabetes Center opened. Finley also applied for a permanent MRI center in 1997, but the state denied approval. That same year, the hospital became a partner in Iowa Health System, expanding access to medical expertise and economic benefits. New services included a pain management program and the "Convenient Care" after-hours clinic, while Finley was designated a Level II hospital for high-risk pregnancies.[28][29][30][31]
In 1997, Finley and Mercy gained approval to have their own MRI units after changes in the Iowa Department of Public Health's approval process. The Wendt Regional Cancer Center, marking its tenth anniversary, added a new $2 million high-energy accelerator and continued its work with Mayo Clinic's clinical trials. In 1998, Finley merged with Comprehensive Rehab, expanding its therapy services. The hospital also partnered with Hospice of Dubuque for tissue donation from terminally ill patients.[32][33]
Finley opened the Summit Health Center for Older Adults in 1998, offering specialized care for older patients with psychiatric and cognitive disorders. The hospital launched a weekly wound clinic in 1999 for chronic, non-healing wounds. In 2004, Finley became a provider for John Deere's new healthcare plan.[34][35][36][37][38]
In 2005, Finley and Mercy absorbed significant charity-care costs, despite challenges with reimbursements. In 2006, Finley became the first hospital in Dubuque to offer free wireless Internet for patients and visitors.[39][40]
In January 2008, Finley received a $1,000 grant from the Iowa Sports Foundation to fund the "Lighten Up Iowa" program, a statewide initiative to promote healthier lifestyles. Later that year, Finley purchased the Siegert-Casper Funeral Home property for $2.2 million to build a $42 million, 70,000-square-foot addition to replace the emergency and surgical departments and house a heart center.[41][42]
Recent Developments
In 2010, Finley was named to the "100 Top Hospitals" list by Thomson Reuters for its performance in patient safety, quality, and cost measures. In 2012, the hospital was approved for a cardiac catheterization laboratory to treat cardiovascular disease and introduced the da Vinci robotic system for surgeries.[43]
In 2014, Finley Hospital introduced 3-D mammography, becoming the first in the community to offer the service, with 75% of patients opting for it in the first month. In 2015, Edward and Shirley Babka donated $1 million toward the Grandview Expansion Project, helping raise $3 million of the $5 million campaign goal.[44]
UnityPoint Health, previously Iowa Health System, expanded to include hospitals and clinics in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. In June 2015, Finley’s Wound and Hyperbaric Center received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Wound Care Management. The hospital also received a $105,200 grant from the American Heart Association in July 2015 to improve heart attack care through the Mission: Lifeline program, aimed at improving outcomes for STEMI patients.[45][46]
In November 2015, Finley Hospital launched a genetic counseling program to assess cancer risks based on family medical histories, supported by proceeds from the Pink Ribbon Open golf outing. In 2016, a birthing simulator, "MaryBeth," was introduced for nurse training, funded by the families of former Finley nurses. Two new urgent care clinics were also added in 2016, with one opening in August and the other in December, offering extended hours and services at more affordable prices than emergency rooms.[47][48][49][50]
In August 2016, a new 17,000-square-foot emergency room opened as part of the $42 million Grandview Expansion. In 2017, Finley earned an "A" safety rating for preventing medical errors, and in 2020, Grand River Medical Group's oncology clinic relocated to Finley’s Wendt Regional Cancer Center with a $1.6 million renovation. The Title V Doula Project was launched in 2021 to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women in Iowa, providing doula support during pregnancy and delivery.[51][52][53][54][55]
In October 2022, Dr. Catherine Miller, a neurosurgeon, relocated to Dubuque, filling a long-standing need for local care in brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve conditions. Her clinic focused on spinal conditions, particularly minimally invasive spine surgery, and she also served on-call in the emergency room. Previously, residents had to travel to other cities for such care.[56]
In 2022, UnityPoint expanded virtual care with the introduction of SmartExam, a service offering treatment plans for common, low-acuity conditions for a $30 fee. Virtual Urgent Care was also available for video consultations with providers.[57]
In March 2023, UnityPoint was named one of the top places to work in healthcare for the second consecutive year by Becker's Healthcare.[58]
On July 9, 2024, it was announced that Chad Wolbers, President and CEO of Finley Hospital, would leave his position in August 2024 to pursue an entrepreneurial venture. Wolbers had previously served as COO and played a key role in securing a cardiac catheterization lab and leading a $42 million expansion project before returning as CEO in 2019.[59]
In 2022, Finley received the Chest Pain - MI Registry Award Silver by the American College of Cardiology, as well as a Primary Stroke Center Certification from DNV. [1]
In 2023, Finley received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain MI Registry Gold Performance Achievement Award. The hospital also became the third in Iowa to be recognized by the Iowa HHS new Iowa Pediatric Emergency Assessment and Care Recognition Program. Finley also earned the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award and a CMS 5-Star Hospital rating for the third year in a row in 2023.[1]
In 2024, Finley received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award, alongside the Stroke Honor Roll Elite Award and Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. The hospital also earned a certificate of achievement for its participation in the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Stroke post-acute care initiative. Finley earned a CMS 5-Star Hospital rating for the fourth year in a row and was designated as a Center of Excellence in Oncology Rehabilitation through the Physiological Oncology Rehabilitation Institute (PORi).[1]
