Governor Kim Reynolds outlined her plans during last night’s (Tuesday) Condition of the State address to expand a pilot program launched in 2021 to connect rural moms-to-be with OBGYN services. The Centers for Excellence were established at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll and the Grinnell Regional Medical Center.
St. Anthony received $212,500 from the Iowa Centers for Excellence program, which improved patient services at the Birth Place and strengthened partnerships with area hospitals. For example, expecting mothers at Manning Regional Healthcare Center (MRHC) can receive prenatal care in Manning, deliver at St. Anthony, and continue postnatal care back at MRHC seamlessly. Reynolds says their success warrants the program’s expansion.
Reynolds has identified rural health care in Iowa as a priority. She is appealing to the legislature to fund four obstetric fellowships to address the critical shortage of providers. Additionally, Reynolds seeks to quintuple health care apprenticeship funding from $3 million to $15 million, and she says this will create incentives for students to enter these high-demand fields.
Last night’s (Tuesday) Condition of the State address also highlighted the governor’s priorities, such as approving a school choice bill for Iowans, expanding support for at-risk families, particularly fathers, targeting fentanyl traffickers, and more. The complete 2023 Condition of the State address, courtesy of Iowa PBS, is included with this story on our website.
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