5 Things You Need to Know About Council Bluffs, IA’s, Medical Facilities 

The region is a health haven.

By Karen Vernon on December 19, 2023

CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs is home to high quality health care providers dedicated to meeting the health and wellness needs of the entire community. It boasts two award-winning hospitals, CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs and Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital. Additionally, All Care Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center providing accessible, comprehensive primary care, dental care and more. Ahead, find five things you need to know about Council Bluffs, IA‘s, medical facilities.

All Care Health Center 

“All Care Health Center provides integrated family health care, including primary medical, dental and mental health care as well as a patient pharmacy, dietitian and X-ray services all under one roof at our main clinic,” says Kerri Wede, All Care’s development and marketing director. “Our mission is to provide affordable, comprehensive and high-quality health care to the entire community, including vulnerable populations.” 

Here are five things you need to know: 

1. All Care Health Center offers the option of telehealth for medical and mental health services. 
2. Bilingual staff provide interpretation and translation services to non-English speaking patients. 
3. The access services team can help the general public and current patients with insurance enrollment and navigating complex Medicare options. This team can also help patients sign up for food stamps and provide resource referrals for housing, food, transportation and other emergency assistance programs. 
4. An on-site pharmacy at the Sixth Street location allows patients to pick up medications the same day as their medical, mental health or dental appointment. All Care offers free pharmacy delivery to patients within Council Bluffs. 
5. All Care offers free accessible transportation to and from health care appointments for its patients in Council Bluffs. 

CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs 

“Founded in 1887 by the Sisters of Mercy, we have expanded into a full-service facility for cardiology, cancer, maternity, orthopedics and behavioral health,” says Ann Schumacher, president of CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs. “We’re proud of our 136-year legacy and look forward to continuing to care for the people of Southwest Iowa.” 

Here are five things you need to know: 

1. CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs has the only Level III trauma center in Iowa accredited by the American College of Surgeons, providing emergency assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization 24/7. 
2. The newly remodeled maternity center has a Level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to care for premature babies and state-of-the-art labor and delivery equipment. It received Blue Distinction from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa as a Top Center of Specialty Care for Maternity. 
3. The hospital has robotic surgery capability and the region’s only Joint Commission Advanced Hip and Knee Joint Replacement certification, along with Blue Distinction as a Top Center of Specialty Care for Hip and Knee. 
4. The cath lab teams and cardiologists beat the national average response time when receiving heart attack patients with complete blockages. Door-to-balloon time averages 78.2 minutes, the best in the area. 
5. The hospital’s footprint is substantial, including two integrated family health clinics in Council Bluffs and two outlying clinics, all with direct access to the hospital. This creates a better flow of communication, referrals, treatment and follow-up. 

Methodist Health System

Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital 

David Burd, president and CEO of Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, says, “Whether you are receiving services or working here, you’ll find this is a special place because of both the high-quality care we provide and because we care about each other. We are a family.” 

Here are five things you need to know: 

1. A growing organization, Jennie Edmundson has made significant investments in facilities and equipment to ensure the highest quality of care to serve Council Bluffs and the surrounding region far into the future. 
2. The hospital is committed to increasing access to care, so there is no reason to go anywhere else. The newly renovated emergency department will serve approximately 21,500 patients this year, and Methodist Physicians Clinic continues to grow in terms of specialties available. 
3. Top-notch surgeons with access to state-of-the-art equipment, including robotics, mean the volume of surgeries and procedures continues to grow. 
4. Jennie Edmundson is committed to being the provider of choice for women’s and newborn services, such as those in the hospital’s Level II NICU and the newly renovated Anne Elizabeth Nelson Women and Newborns Center. The Methodist Jennie Edmundson Medical Plaza’s second floor is home to women’s outpatient services, including a specialty practice in adolescent gynecology. 
5. The hospital is the only nationally accredited cancer center in Western Iowa, thanks to exceptional facilities and equipment like the linear accelerator for radiation oncology.