The Importance of Philanthropy

The consolidation of UI Hospitals and Clinics, the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and UI Physicians into University of Iowa Health Care has strengthened our ability to provide quality patient care, educate future health care practitioners, and continue landmark biomedical research that benefits the lives of Iowans.

In order to fulfill our mission of changing medicine, changing lives, we have embarked on a long-term expansion and renovation program. Even with a challenging economy, these changes will allow us to enhance our leadership as a comprehensive academic medical center, both within Iowa and internationally.

Foremost among these goals are plans to improve the experience of our patients and their families. These include the development of an ambulatory care facility located away from the bustling main campus area. The new ambulatory care campus will offer an enhanced care experience for patients and their families modeled on Disney hospitality principles.

After the ambulatory care campus has been established, we will seek to expand our inpatient facilities to include a new University of Iowa Children’s Hospital wing and expanded critical care capacity for adults.

These changes will continue to support the evolution of our innovative, multidisciplinary medical education program that distinguishes the UI curriculum. Philanthropy’s support
of medical education makes possible technologically advanced facilities, supports students with grants and scholarships, and establishes endowed chairs that further the educational mission.

Our research mission must continue to thrive as well. University of Iowa Health Care’s modern research enterprise relies on the multidisciplinary efforts of life sciences researchers from across the University. Within the next year, we will nurture that sort of cross-collaboration by planning the construction of the University of Iowa Institute for Biomedical Discovery. This new space will be dedicated to the kind of high-risk, high-reward research that will find cures for illnesses that affect Iowans, as well as others around the world.

None of this is possible without the support of donors and friends from all over the world. One way to ensure continued excellence is to support the UI Hospitals and Clinics Caring Fund, which helps make the difference between programs that try to keep up and those that set the pace. Your support will help keep Iowa at the forefront of patient care quality and excellence.

We are all part of the effort to advance the future of health care, medical education, and biomedical research. We are all partners in the ongoing quest of changing medicine, changing lives.