UnityPoint Health - Finley Hospital

1890s

• 1890: Articles of Incorporation for the Finley Hospital Company adopted (February 21).
• 1890: The Sunshine Circle organized to raise money to furnish and maintain the pediatric ward in Finley Hospital. The group continues to be a dedicated group of volunteers.
• 1896: The Finley Hospital School of Nursing was founded. Before, the nearest nursing program was in Chicago.
• 1896: The first ambulance in the city of Dubuque was given as a gift to Finley Hospital from Henry L. Stout.
• 1898: The first elevators for patient transfer in Dubuque were part of the Finley Hospital design. Other innovative ideas included limiting the use of wood to prevent infection, steam clothing, and placing the kitchen on the third floor so cooking odors would not be spread through the patient rooms.

1910s

• 1911: Finley Hospital Auxiliary founded.
• 1914: The "Pavilion Addition" expansion to Finley Hospital brought the first hospital building in Dubuque that was completely fireproof.
• 1918: Finley Hospital has the city's first laboratory.

1920s

• 1920: Finley Hospital becomes one of only 13 accredited hospitals in Iowa having 100 or more beds.
• 1925: Lull-Burch Memorial Nurses Home opened to the general public, allowing for remodeling to be done to Finley Hospital.
• 1928: During National Hospital Day, visitors saw a fracture room for precise examination of broken bones; an x-ray treatment room with walls treated with a special plaster to confine the x-rays to the room and protect others; an autopsy room to determine exact causes of death; and through the efforts of the Auxiliary, a portable electric toaster that went from floor to floor so patients could have their toast hot and fresh.

1950s

• 1950: More expansion takes place as a four-story addition added 20 beds, four new operating rooms, a cast room, a maternity floor and nursery, and a new lobby.

1960s

• 1961: Finley Hospital starts on the road to becoming the Tri-State's leader in cancer treatment by purchasing a cobalt therapy machine to emit gamma rays into cancerous growths as a cancer treatment option.
• 1968: Finley opened its first Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

1970s

• 1973: Groundbreaking ceremonies for an expansion that provided for an enlarged Physical Therapy Department with hydrotherapy and diagnostic equipment, a laboratory complex including six different areas, four ICU rooms, emergency room and trauma care for 24-hour service, and improved patient areas, were held with then Iowa Governor Robert Ray as the featured speaker.
• 1975: As cancer advancements were made, the cobalt unit was replaced by a four-megavolt linear accelerator, offering faster treatment times and a high energy beam that spared more normal tissues and caused fewer side effects.

1980s

• 1980: A new surgery suite, ICU and cafeteria are added to Finley Hospital.
• 1982: Two innovative surgical procedures - laser surgery and operative orthoscopy - become available at Finley.
• 1987: One million dollars, believed to be the largest healthcare gift in Dubuque history, was used to establish the Wendt Regional Cancer Center. This 10,000 square foot addition to Finley allowed the hospital to treat up to 60 patients daily.
• 1989: Family Birthing Suites is introduced.

1990s

• 1994: Construction of the Intensive Care Unit, Babka Outpatient Surgery wing, and new entrance completed.
• 1997: Finley Hospital joins Iowa Health System.

2000s

• 2002: Delhi Medical Center completed.
• 2006: Kehl Diabetes Center completed.

2010

• 4th and 5th Floor Med/Surgery units open in January
• Finley Hospital named to the '100 Top Hospitals' list by Thomson Reuters
• Finley receives a Patient Safety Excellence Award. 2010

2011

• Finley Hospital is the first of ten participating organizations to meet all five certification requirements to become Petal Certified.
• Becker's Hospital Review recognized Finley Hospital in their 65 Great Community Hospitals.
• HealthGrades ranked Finley Hospital in the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals for general surgery.
• Finley recognized as the Employer of the Year for the 2010-2011 Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce recognition year.
• Finley receives a Patient Safety Excellence Award.
• Finley achieves Platinum WELCOA Award - WELCOA's highest certification.
• Finley received an Outstanding Patient Experience Award.
• Finley Hospital receives Partner for Change award from Practice Greenhealth.
• Finley Hospital acquires local clinic to create UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine and Walk-In Care – Cascade.

2012

• Again, HealthGrades ranked Finley Hospital in the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals for general surgery.
• Again, Finley received an Outstanding Patient Experience Award.
• Finley Hospital receives Patient Safety Excellence Award for the third year in a row.
• Finley installs a da Vinci robotic surgery system.

2013

• Iowa Health System changes name to UnityPoint Health.
• UnityPoint Health Finley – Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center has received the distinguished Center of Distinction Award and is the first-time recipient of the Center of Excellence Award.

2014

• Finley Hospital in the 15 Highest Scoring Hospitals for Patient Safety.
• Finley Homecare receives national ranking in the top 15 percentile for excellence in performance from HealthInsight.
• UnityPoint Health was recognized for the third year in a row as one of the nation's "Most Wired Health systems" by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine.
• Finley Hospital Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation unit also becomes a brain injury accredited program.

2015

• Finley Hospital receives a four-star rating on The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Star Rating report.
• Finley Hospital celebrates 125th Anniversary.
• Ed and Shirley Babka make a $1 million gift to support the Grandview Expansion Project, the largest expansion project in Finley Hospital's 125-year history.
• Finley Hospital's Wound and Hyperbaric Center earns The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Wound Care Management Certification.
• For the third year in a row, Finley's Wound and Hyperbaric Center is recognized as a Center of Excellence in Wound Healing.
• Finley Hospital receives Innovator of the Year award from Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
• Finley Hospital opens UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine and Walk-In Care – Peosta.
2015 Finley Hospital's Sleep Center becomes accredited by American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

2016

• Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield selects Finley Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care.
• Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield selects Finley Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
• Finley Hospital completes Phase 1 of the Grandview Expansion, a 70,000 square-foot, 3-story addition housing state-of-the-art emergency medicine, surgery and cardiology facilities.
• Finley Hospital opens two new primary care clinics and two new urgent care clinics: UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – Pennsylvania Avenue, UnityPoint Clinic Women's Health, UnityPoint Clinic Urgent Care – West and UnityPoint Clinic Urgent Care – East.
• UnityPoint Health Named Most Wired for 5th Year in a Row.
• Finley Hospital Earns "A" Grade for Patient Safety from LeapFrog Group.
• UnityPoint Health Hospitals Receive National Recognition for Excellence in Patient Financial Communications.

2017

• Finley Hospital Launches New Cardiac and Pulmonary Phase III Program, an extended outpatient program.
• Finley's Wound and Hyperbaric Center Receives National Center of Excellence for Clinic Achievements for the 6th Year in a Row.
• Finley Hospital Awarded "A" for Patient Safety from LeapFrog Group.

2019

• Finley Hospital earns Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) certification.
• Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) at Finley Hospital is Iowa's top site, statewide, for clients served.
• Finley Hospital earns Primary Stroke Center designation by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

2020

• Finley Hospital Named to Chest Pain – MI Registry by American College of Cardiology.
• Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield selects Finley Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
• Integrated Cancer Center opens, offering cancer patients comprehensive care in one location with the partnership of the Wendt Regional Cancer Center and Grand River Medical Group's Oncology clinic.
• UnityPoint Health – Pediatric Therapy Center opens, offering pediatric rehabilitative services in a larger facility that includes treatment rooms, a feeding and nutrition therapy room, two speech therapy rooms and play and gym areas.
• Finley Hospital responds to COVID-19 pandemic by temporarily postponing elective surgeries, implementing universal masking at all locations, restricting hospital and clinic visitors and caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Finley Hospital's Wound & Hyperbaric Center is named a Center of Distinction by Healogics, Inc.

2021

• Finley Hospital receives a 5-star CMS rating.
• The American Hospital Association (AHA) honors UnityPoint Health - Finley Hospital for its 100 years of participation and leadership in the AHA.
• UnityPoint Health Kehl Diabetes Center is recertified by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
• The Dubuque UnityPoint at Home team is recognized with the Patient Experience Home Care Top Achiever award.
• Finley Hospital's Rehabilitative Therapy Services is named a Physiological Oncology Rehabilitation Institute (PORi) Center of Excellence.
• The Dubuque Visiting Nurse Association earns Iowa Family Support Credential.
• Finley Hospital completes its first Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) procedure. Finley is the first hospital in Dubuque to offer this treatment.
• Finley Hospital earns the Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center Certification for making exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes.

2022

• Finley Hospital marks 10 years of providing heart care to patients in the Tri-State area.
• Finley's Cardiac Rehabilitation Department was re-certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).
• Finley Hospital receives a 5-Star rating from the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Finley Hospital begins a Senior Student Promise Program, where college students pursuing degrees in various healthcare fields are able to receive financial assistance for their students and a guaranteed employment offer at Finley Hospital after graduation and licensure.
• Finley Hospital earns the Primary Stroke Center certification from DNV.
• Finley Hospital's Cardiology Department is honored by the American College of Cardiology in the U.S. News & World Report 'Best Hospitals' publication.
• Finley earns hospital accreditation from DNV.
• UnityPoint Clinic Neurosurgery opens and is led by Dr. Catherine Miller.
• UnityPoint Health – Dubuque names Carla Belken, MSN, RN, NVRN-BC, as Vice President of Operations.

2023

• Finley Hospital receives the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain MI Registry Gold Performance Achievement Award, joining fewer than sixty other hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
• Finley Hospital is the third hospital in Iowa to be recognized for readiness to provide emergency care through the Iowa HHS new Iowa Pediatric Emergency Assessment and Care Recognition Program.
• Finley Hospital receives the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
• Finley Hospital receives a 5-star rating from the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Jennifer Havens, RN, FACHE, begins her role as UnityPoint Health- Dubuque’s new President.
• Finley Hospital joins 23 other facilities across Iowa as part of the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Stroke Post-Acute Care (PAC) initiative to enhance guideline-based care for stroke patients, ultimately improving and prolonging lives.

2024

• Finley Hospital receives a 5-star CMS Rating for the 4th year in a row.
• A new mobile digital PET/CT scanner arrives on site at Finley Hospital. The uMI 550 delivers faster exam times, better image clarity and reduced radiation doses.
• Finley Hospital earns an American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award as well as recognition for our care of Type 2 diabetes patients.
• Finley Hospital’s new MRI scanner, a Siemens Magnetom Biomatrix Altea, is delivered. The machine, which will go live in January 2025, reduces scan times by 51%, which will increase capacity and improve patient experience.
• Finley Hospital creates its own in-house security department to increase coverage and improve campus and team member safety.

2025

• Grand River Medical Group clinics become a part of UnityPoint Clinic - adding seven clinics and four dialysis locations to the UnityPoint Health family.
• Finley Hospital receives the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
• Finley Hospital celebrates its 135th anniversary.
• UnityPoint Health – Dubuque appoints Andrew Vanderheyden, MD, as Chief Medical Officer.
• Finley Hospital debuts its new Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, a Siemens X.Cite, which combines intelligent imaging technology with a patient-centered design, offering enhanced comfort and improved image quality.
• Finley Hospital is the first hospital in Iowa to adopt the ESO Health Data Exchange platform, enabling secure, real-time electronic data exchange between emergency medical services (EMS) and hospital electronic medical records (EMR) systems.
• The Visiting Nurse Association begins offering family planning services such as pregnancy testing, education, yearly exams, contraception, STI testing and treatment, and more. The program, serving eight counties, is funded through a Title X federal grant from Iowa HHS.

2026

• Finley Hospital completed a $1.4 million renovation of the Family Birthing Suites' dedicated C-section suite, enhancing care for mothers and babies.
• UnityPoint Clinic Multi-Specialty – Dubuque expands access to specialty care by offering pulmonology services.
• Wendt Regional Cancer Center becomes the only cancer center in Dubuque to offer KV trigger imaging for more precise radiation therapy.
• UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology - Dubuque launches a monthly electrophysiology clinic for patients with heart rhythm disorders.
• Finley Hospital introduces the minimally invasive SALSA technique in Finley's Level II NICU to improve care for premature infants with respiratory distress.