Will serve as Iowa's only Ebola treatment center
Monday, December 15, 2014
Written by: Tom Moore

Leaders of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics officials in Iowa City, Iowa, announced Monday, Dec. 15, that the state’s comprehensive academic medical center has been named as the state’s only Ebola treatment center.

In addition, the following Iowa hospitals have agreed to serve as screening facilities for an Ebola patient, should the need arise: Mercy Medical Center, Des Moines; and UnityPoint, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines.

There are currently no reported cases of Ebola infections anywhere in Iowa or the U.S.

The Program of Hospital Epidemiology at UI Hospitals and Clinics is highly regarded and features several infectious disease specialists who are national leaders in the field. The medical center is also frequently recognized as one of the nation’s best hospitals.

“I am very proud of how hard our response team has worked over many months for extremely long hours to prepare for any potential patient who might be infected with the Ebola virus,” says Loreen Herwaldt, director of the Program of Hospital Epidemiology at UI Hospitals and Clinics. “They have done a tremendous job of getting us ready to meet this challenge.”

UI Hospitals and Clinics began working in mid-August on its preparations to care for patients with a suspected or confirmed Ebola infection. UI officials report they are prepared to provide excellent care for such patients, while safeguarding the health and wellbeing of other patients, visitors, staff, and the community. Those measures include:

  • Caring for the patient with suspected or confirmed Ebola infection in a secure, dedicated area that is isolated from the rest of the hospital, including its air supply. Patients will not leave that area for any reason during the duration of their stay.
  • Staff caring for a patient with an Ebola infection will not care for other patients.
  • Medical equipment used to care for this patient will not be used to care for other patients.

As a reminder, Ebola is not spread easily. Until patients begin to show symptoms of the infection, they are not infectious and cannot transmit the virus to others.

Further updates will be provided as more details become available. More information is available online at the Centers for Disease Control website.