Citizens of Cedar Rapids enjoy access to a highly-developed and sophisticated health system featuring major medical centers, health care clinics and businesses, medical training facilities and research centers. The area’s two premiere hospital systems, Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital, have recently completed significant additions, bringing new and improved services to the community. With facilities equipped to handle complex medical and surgical procedures and high-level trauma scenarios, Cedar Rapids’ hospitals are among the region’s best. Augmenting these strong health systems, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics – only 30 minutes away – is one of the nation’s largest university-operated teaching and research hospitals. The net effect of these resources is a healthy and productive community.

Cedar Rapids was recently recognized at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) annual national forum on quality improvement. IHI President and CEO Don Berwick observed how many healthcare organizations, including Cedar Rapids, have made great strides in addressing issues, such as patient-centered care, patient safety, and chronic disease care innovations.

Cedar Rapids was cited as one of several U.S. cities that have driven down health care costs with a community-centric strategy while remaining competitive in delivering quality outcomes.