“I love my job,” she said in a recent telephone interview with the Times-Republican. “I get to work with outstanding people in a great facility.”

The facility is located at 55 UnityPoint Way. It served its first patient on April 27, 2022.

The hospital is active.

It served 18,651 patients in its 365/24/7 emergency room in 2024. It discharged 1,195 patients from its hospital inpatient unit last year and the family medicine clinic at 303 Nicholas Drive had 9,507 patients, according to UPH executives in Waterloo.

T-R FILE PHOTO

A UPH-M Express Clinic is at 1704 S. Center St.

Additionally, family practice satellite clinics in Conrad treated 11,986 patients, State Center 2,934 and Tama-Toledo 6,894.

UPH-M also provides a vital 365/24/7 ambulance service to the Marshalltown area also headquartered in the UPH-M complex.

King and staff have a mission: to offer affordable, quality healthcare to central Iowans.

Reflecting on 2024, King said UPH-M added an endocrinologist.

Andrea Petermeier works with a patient at the wound care clinic.

King said ideally, UPH-M would like to add a pulmonologist and eye, nose and throat specialists.

The administrator said UPH-M weathered a nursing shortage caused by a “perfect storm of a global pandemic — COVID19- and substantial number of ‘baby-boomer’ retirements.

“We still rely to a degree on “traveling” nurses to fill gaps in our schedules when needed. she said. “We have a good working relationship with the Marshalltown Community College Nursing program.”

During the interview, King said UPH-M staff have been pleased to work with Marshalltown High School students employed as Patient Care Technicians. The students first completed a 76-hour nurse aid course. The program is coordinated by the Iowa Valley (Community College with locations in Ellsworth and Marshalltown) Business and Community Solutions program.

“The students get the opportunity to “earn while the learn while having the opportunity to progress in a promising health care profession.”

The UPH-M main complex was five-years in the planning stages and when construction was completed, cost $38.4 million.

Garling Construction of Cedar Rapids was the general contractor, but subcontracted work to Marshalltown and area contractors.

The complex replaced “the old hospital ‘- a town landmark at the intersection of East Main Street and Third Avenue, which had dutifully served central Iowans when it opened as the Evangelical Deaconess Hospital in 1913.

Over the years it hosted a merger with St. Thomas Hospital on Marshalltown’s west side. There were name changes to Marshalltown Area Community Hospital to Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center and to Central Iowa Health Care.

UPH acquired Central Iowa Healthcare in 2017. UPH-M is one of many facilities in the UnityPoint Health network with regional hospitals and clinics in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. King reports to UPH administrator Jenny Friedly in Waterloo.

King has been administrator for four and one-half years. She entered health care as a physical therapist and transitioned into administration. Her attitude conveys a willingness to accept the challenges of working in the ever-changing health care industry while overseeing a large staff.

She said communication is a key skill, as is frequently visiting various departments during the day to talk to department heads, staff and patients.

King also said she meets with other Marshalltown health care providers such as Center Associates, the Iowa Veterans Home and McFarland Clinic-Marshalltown.

She clarified that UPH-M competes with McFarland Clinic-Marshalltown in certain sectors – such as family practice and specialists – but also collaborates.

Specifically, UPH-M allows McFarland Clinic surgeons to use its operating rooms.

UPH-M economic impact to the area economy is substantial.

A 2023 Iowa Hospital Association report showed UPH-Ms wage impact to the area economy was nearly $58-million.

For more information, telephone 641-754-5151, or visit www.unitypoint.org/marshalltown.