UnityPoint Health

Soccer player Paige Herzmann tore her ACL at the USA Cup last summer — and returned to the field just nine months later, thanks to the care team at UnityPoint Clinic Sports Medicine. Rafael Serrano, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at UnityPoint Clinic and affiliated team physician with the U.S. soccer program, identified Paige as a candidate for the BEAR procedure (Bridge-Enhanced ACL Restoration). Rather than harvesting a tendon from the other leg as in traditional ACL reconstruction, Dr. Serrano stitched the original ligament back toward its attachment and placed a collagen implant between the torn ends — allowing the body to heal and regenerate the ligament on its own. The results: - 9 days on crutches - Brace-free in under 6 weeks - Back on the field in 9 months Physical therapist Tristan Boaldin, DPT, guided Paige through 82 PT appointments using a customized program that could begin earlier than traditional post-op rehab — one of the key advantages of the BEAR approach. "In the next 10 years, it's probably going to become the gold standard for ACL repair," Dr. Serrano says. Image descriptions 1. Cedar Falls High's Paige Herzmann stands on a soccer field in front of Dr. Rafael Serrano, on the left, and Tristan Boaldin, DPT. 2. Paige Herzmann of Cedar Falls High kicks a soccer ball.

Rural health care strength starts with collaboration. We’re heading to the 2026 American Hospital Association Leadership Summit July 12–14, where our Chief Medical Officer, Gregory R. Johnson, MD, SFHM, FAAFP, FACP, will share proven strategies for elevating care models. 

Area high school students kicked off their career exploration day at our headquarters in the best way possible — watching a LifeFlight helicopter land right in front of them and chatting with the flight crew about emergency air medical care. From there, they got to meet with our leaders, try on medical gear, dive into hands-on activities and learn about the many different paths a career in health care can take. We can't wait to see where their journeys take them. Video & Image descriptions: 1: LifeFlight helicopter lands in the parking lot of UnityPoint Health headquarters for career event. 2: LifeFlight crew talks with event attendees while showing them the helicopter in the parking lot. 3: Dr. Johnson, UnityPoint Health Chief Medical Officer sits at a lunch table with high school students, discussing healthcare pathways. 4: High school students try on sterile surgery gear with UnityPoint Health leaders. 5: Chief Nursing Officer Sara Brown engages with high school students during the networking portion of the career day. 6: Kingsley Botchway, Executive Director of Human Resources, stands with a group of high school students, engaged in a networking conversation during the career exploration day.

We're celebrating twelve interns for graduating from our Project SEARCH program. This nationally recognized transition-to-work program gives young adults with disabilities hands-on experience, building real skills, independence and confidence through nine months of rotations across hospital departments. "It feels surreal. I feel more hopeful for the future than I have in a while," said graduate Jalen Peterson to local news. Jalen worked in physical medicine & rehab. "People with disabilities all over the country struggle just to find a support system and having something like this available has been a game-changer." As UnityPoint Health - Cedar Rapids VP of Operations Mark Willis put it: "By the time they gather for graduation, they're no longer interns visiting our hospital — they've become part of our team." Congrats to this incredible class as they take their next steps toward meaningful careers! https://lnkd.in/gDUXs5Hp Image descriptions: 1. Project SEARCH graduates pose for a group photo after their graduation with other UnityPoint Health team members & leaders in Cedar Rapids. 2. Graduates and supporters gather inside UnityPoint Health - Cedar Rapids for the Project SEARCH graduation ceremony. 3. A table of graduation decorations and photos of Project SEARCH graduates. 4. Graduate Jakob shares a poster with a graduation attendee showcasing experiences at UnityPoint Health. 5. Graduates and attendees look over graduate's posters showcasing their experiences while at UnityPoint Health.

As major retail pharmacy chains continue to downsize, communities across the country are finding it harder than ever to get the medications they need. UnityPoint Health was recently featured in Becker's Healthcare for exactly this reason — our location at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines just opened a new retail pharmacy this month. It's a direct investment in making sure patients in the community can access care close to home, including programs designed to get medications to patients before they even leave the hospital. https://uph.link/agy Image description: UnityPoint Health - Des Moines team members pose for a photo in the newly opened Methodist Atrium Pharmacy location.

Our CMO for Cardiovascular Services, Peter George, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE, FASNC, recently joined the Becker's Healthcare Cardiology + Heart Surgery podcast to share how UnityPoint Health is redesigning its heart failure model to improve long-term outcomes for patients across the Midwest. From coordinated, proactive care to systemwide standards, he highlights how we’re using: • AI-supported care management • Telehealth and home-based care • Patient education and support networks • Tiered pathways tailored to heart failure type He also offers practical steps organizations can take today to strengthen care delivery — no additional staff or new technology required. Listen to the full episode: https://uph.link/e62bf3 Image description: Graphic featuring photo of Dr. Peter George, MD, FACC with quote "Becoming more proactive with rural access for patients through things like virtual health care and telecardiology—those things go a long way in being able to treat patients where they are."

Our Career Pathways program invests in helping team members grow into new roles while strengthening care across our organization. The program was recently featured on the Iowa Workforce Development (tag) podcast. In the episode, “Diagnosing the Growing Needs of Iowa’s Healthcare Workforce,” a UnityPoint Health Career Pathways navigator and recent graduate share how the program provides structured training and hands-on clinical experience to build confidence when entering a new role. https://lnkd.in/g-yyaBWP Listen to the full episode: https://uph.link/2d8a6c Image description: Graphic with overlay of Career Pathways and UnityPoint Health logo and quote "The students train in the clinic that they’re going to work in. That gives them a sense of comfortability. They’re not only learning the job, but they’re also learning from the people that they’re going to be working with." - Taurie C., Career Pathways Navigator

Elevating patient care requires a continuous commitment to securing top-tier leadership talent. We're pleased to announce that Clancy Lane has transitioned into the role of Executive Recruiter, cultivating our executive talent pipeline across the entire health system. For leaders interested in exploring executive-level possibilities or anticipating their next professional milestone, we invite you to connect directly with Clancy. Image description: Professional photo of Executive Recruiter Clancy Lane with blue overlay and text "UnityPoint Health - Clancy Lane, Executive Recruiter"

When traditional pediatric tools weren't quite right for helping one of our littlest patients with crawling, therapy and engineering teams collaborated to custom-build the perfect solution from scratch. Image descriptions: 1 & 2. Baby works with the therapy team using a new flexible 3D printed device to help relieve pressure on the hands.

Our cancer center in Dubuque is the first in the area to introduce KV trigger imaging. This technology tracks patient movement in real time during radiation therapy, instantly pausing treatment if a tumor shifts by even a few millimeters. By accountably managing natural body movements, this tool protects healthy tissue, minimizes side effects and ensures maximum accuracy. https://uph.link/021967 Image descriptions: 1. From left to right: Riley Hinz, Radiation Therapist, Ali Shah and Chief Medical Physicist at the Wendt Regional Cancer Center and Dr. Candace Correa stand by the new imaging technology. 2. Ali Shah, Chief Medical Physicist at the Wendt Regional Cancer Center and Dr. Candace Correa smile and stand by the new imaging technology.