T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Pictured is the entrance to the new McFarland Clinic-Marshalltown. The facility served its first patient in June, 2023.

An axiom in business is that if one is standing still, one is being passed by.

And staff at the local McFarland Clinic are not standing still. They have aggressively promoted and worked to improve the enterprise ever since June 26, 2023. That was the day they welcomed their first patient at its new $20-million, nearly 67,000 square foot, nine-acre facility in the 400-block of East Merle Hibbs Blvd.

It replaced an older facility used for decades and leased from UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown in the 300 block of East Main Street.

Staff are currently engaged in efforts to recruit family practice doctors and specialists to meet patient expectations, said executive director Deb Wollam in a recent interview with the Times-Republican.

Another example is that Wollam and facilities manager Ron Frantzen have invested a significant amount of time and expense in an effort to install ground solar panels specifically designed for commercial use.

“Our goal – should the panels be installed – is to get to net zero (electricity) consumption,” said Wollam in a recent tour of the state-of-the art facility.

Wollam and Frantzen have appeared before the Marshalltown city council numerous times over a several month period to gain approval of the project. The most recent presentation was on Jan. 13.

If approved, the ground solar panels would be installed on the facility’s south side.

She said it would be ideal to have the system operational by October or November of this year.

At issue is a city ordinance restricting the maximum height of a solar panel to six-feet for use in accessory fields according to a report by T-R managing editor Robert Maharry in the Jan. 17 edition.

The new McFarland Clinic location at 411 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd. has been open since the summer of 2023.

The clinic has requested a variance to allow larger panels.

Frantzen told the council at the Jan 13 presentation “that six-feet panels … reduced the return on investment to a point the project is no longer viable. This represents an approximately $200,000 a year loss in cost reductions to our organization. There is no economical way to use commercially double-stacked solar panels that can achieve the maximum solar per square foot property with the height reductions,” he said.

Wollam said she and Frantzen will continue to work with the city council and related decision makers in an effort to resolve the issue.

“We appreciate the time and consideration given by the council on this issue,” Wollam said.

Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer John Hall is supporting McFarland’s request, Wollam said.

Family practitioners

The need for additional family practitioners is a national problem and not limited to Iowa.

Iowa is among the worst states in the nation for physician-to-patient ratio, ranking 44th in the United States for physicians per capita, according to the Iowa Medical Society as reported in a recent addition of the Daily Iowan in Iowa City.

Nationally, a physician shortage is anticipated to grow exponentially. An analysis published by the Association of American Medical Colleges projected the United States will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.

Governor Kim Reynolds advocated for the use of federal funds to attract more family practitioners in her recent “Condition of the State” address.

Specifically, Reynolds proposed rural and maternal healthcare expansions as top priorities for the 2025 legislative session. The governor also announced partnerships with teaching hospitals to expand medical residencies and research.

In her remarks, Reynolds touted the Hawkeye state’s 2024 ranking as fourth in the nation for health care and first in the nation for health care cost by Becker’s Hospital Review. Despite these high rankings, Reynolds said the state still needs more medical professionals and a greater variety of specialists.

Supported by $150 million in federal funds, the program would be spearheaded by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

Attempting to obtain more nurses, certified nursing assistants, and licensed practical nurses, Reynolds announced $3-million in grants for employers to train and educate individuals in those areas.

The Iowa Legislature must pass legislation allowing expenditures and program guidelines first. The legislation must be acceptable to Reynolds before she signs the bill into law.

Wollam said numerous factors come into play when recruiting family practitioners, such as the size of the community, “trailing” spouses and more.

“We have been told by some candidates that Marshalltown is “too big” or “too small,” she said. “On other occasions the candidates’ spouse cannot find a suitable job in the Marshalltown area.”

Wollam said McFarland-Marshalltown recently entered a partnership with Iowa Valley (Community College) Business and Community Solutions giving the opportunity for young high school students to earn a wage while learning the health care business as nurse aides

Other medical practices offered

Wollam said she and McFarland colleagues prioritize maintaining staffing at a level to meet patient’s needs.

The facility is busy – it hosted more than 150,000 patients in 2024.

“On an average day, we have 600 to 650 patients served in the Marshalltown Clinics,” she said “We – like any business – and especially in the health care industry – are dealing with workforce availability issues. However, the clinic provides coverage full-time for the following disciplines:

• Pediatrics

• General Surgery

• Podiatry

• Orthopedics

• Optical/Eye Wear

• Express Care (located in Marshalltown’s Hy-Vee grocery store).

“There are 26 physicians, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants covering the aforementioned areas,” Wollam said

Other medical services

Marshalltown departments that each provide coverage three days a week are oncology and obstetrics/gynecology. Eight physicians and midwives are employed. Also providing coverage three days per week are physical therapy services with five therapists/assistants.

Twelve to 15 specialists (physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants) travel to Marshalltown on varying schedules throughout each month. They cover 10 different specialties including:

• Allergy

• Cardiology

• Nephrology

• Neurology

• Urology

• Pain Medicine

• Ear, nose and throat

• Occupational Medicine

• Hand Surgery

• Ophthalmology

Wollam said the local clinic is proud to offer oncology and hematology services treatment three days per week.

“We realize cancer treatment and receiving medication is a significant issue in rural Iowa,” she said. “We invested a significant amount of time and expense to make sure this need is meet, so that patients do not have to travel or arrange transportation to Ames or Des Moines. Federal regulations are strict regarding the dispensing and infusion of cancer medications. Consequently, we have recently upgraded our equipment and systems to meet those requirements.”

Also in the complex is NuCara Pharmacy. McFarland leases space to that business which is headquartered in Conrad.

Wollam has served as executive director for nine and one-half years and has been with McFarland 39 years.

She began her healthcare career as a nurse and later moved into clinic management.

McFarland Clinic was established by Guy McFarland in Ames in 1924, according to its website. It is headquartered in Ames and is physician-owned. Other clinic locations are Ankeny, Audubon, Belmond, Boone, Carroll, Clarion, Fort Dodge, Grundy Center, Gutherie Center, Humboldt, Iowa Falls, Jefferson, Nevada, Perry, Story City and Webster City.

McFarland Clinic hosts more than one million annual patient visits.

Local Marshalltown Clinic hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For clinic information, telephone 641-752-0654 or visit www.mcfarlandclinic.com.

Express Care hours at the Marshalltown Hy-Vee location are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For Express Care information, telephone 641-844-5200.