Genesis moves to coordinate, consolidate, close ER services

Genesis Health System announced Friday, Sept. 30, it is moving ahead to consolidate emergency services including by expanding its East Campus Emergency Department and closing its West Campus ER on Dec. 6.

Genesis said it announced in April that it was planning to optimize emergency services in Scott County “to expand capacity and better provide patients with the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”

The plan also includes establishing a new emergency department at the Bettendorf HealthPlex, 2140 53rd Ave., as well as the expansion of the East Campus emergency center, 1227 E. Rusholme St., Davenport. The change is designed to better serve patients with the most complex health care needs, the health system said in its Friday news release.

Genesis also stressed that the East Campus expansion must be carefully planned and completed in December in coordination with the West Campus department’s closure to prevent any disruption in the delivery of high-quality emergency care. West campus staff also will be transferred to the East Campus and Bettendorf emergency departments.

“The consolidation will remedy a duplication of emergency services at Genesis Medical Center-Davenport’s East and West campuses, located approximately two miles apart, while ensuring our patients have immediate access to a higher level of emergency care at East,” according to Doug Cropper, president and CEO of Genesis Health System.

Recently, the East Campus ER was named Iowa’s Level III Trauma Facility of the Year, the health system said. The expansion will include additional beds, some of which are specially designed for behavioral health and substance abuse patients in crisis.

Centralizing emergency services resources and staff expertise at the East Campus will better serve the Davenport area, giving residents access to advanced technology and specialty care for their most complex health care needs, Mr. Cropper said.

“It is important that all those across our communities realize that most of the acute care and subspecialty services in Davenport — including trauma care, surgery, cardiology, neurology, orthopedics and intensive care — are now located on the East Campus,” he added. “These services are important to providing a high level of emergency care. It is critical that we centralize these services to continue providing a high level of emergency care.”

Genesis also conducted what it called “a thorough review” to determine that an expanded East Campus Emergency Department can handle the emergency needs for the city of Davenport. 

That review also found that the two existing Genesis Convenient Care locations in west Davenport -– at 1520 W. 53rd St. and 3200 W. Kimberly Road — can support the urgent care needs of that area so the West Campus Emergency Department will no longer transition to a convenient care facility.

Genesis Health System also stressed that it remains deeply committed to the west Davenport community by offering key services including inpatient behavioral health and inpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation, the Genesis Cancer Center, outpatient services at the West Campus as well as a convenient care facility, Davenport HealthPlex, 3200 W. Kimberly Road.

Other Genesis operations in west Davenport include occupational health and lab, physical therapy at Valley Fair, the Genesis Family Medical Center and the Genesis Quad Cities Family Medicine Residency Program.

Genesis Health Group’s Davenport Family Practice clinic, in downtown west Davenport, also will soon be the site of the area’s first “FoodPlex.” Physicians will be able to prescribe healthy food to help patients with diabetes who need nutritional support.

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