On the evening of December 6th, in the lobby of the newly christened Mercy Health Clinic, the Ottumwa community caught a glimpse of what an organization with vision can do to positively impact nearly everyone.
The Legacy Foundation was thrilled and honored to be a part of the Mercy Ottumwa Clinic’s open house and ribbon cutting ceremony held that evening in their new, beautiful, state-of-the-art health clinic. Mercy physician Dr. Pete Reiter MD, Mercy Health Systems Senior Vice President Joe LeValley and Legacy Foundation President Brad Little shared their thoughts on the evening and the impact these services will have on our citizens.
Although it seemed like a long time coming, as we first met with Mercy staff back in early 2016 to discuss the possibility of partnering, the project has actually moved very quickly. As Brad addressed those gathered to celebrate, he thanked Dr. Reiter and the Mercy Health team for three, very specific things that contribute to a thriving community:
Vision – Having the vision to see what could be in spite of what was. For many, many years this had been the site of 36 year-old grocery store that had been abandoned since 2009. A ghost town of a building sitting in a pothole filled parking lot. And while the journey from what was once a blighted area to a beautiful, state of the art medical clinic has been a joy to watch.
Faith – Having faith in the community of Ottumwa that we – the collective we – are a good investment. The new 32,800 square foot clinic represents an $18 million investment in our future and now complements the always bustling YMCA across the street; the newly renovated and expanded headquarters of South Ottumwa Savings Bank and the new Subway deli sandwich shop across the parking lot.
Competition – new facilities offering the most innovative services including patient friendly staff who can communicate with a diverse population, newly designed exam rooms and an onsite physical therapy center raises the bar for everyone. The clinic will retain 38 of its current staff plus add an additional 19 staff members in the near future including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other medical professions that creates all sorts of opportunities and conveniences for others in and around the area.
So, a big thank you to Dr. Reiter, Joe LeValley, Mercy Health and the entire team at the new health clinic for making a significant investment in the well-being of Ottumwa, Wapello County and southeast Iowa. We are glad you’re here!
Contributed by Brad Little.
