NewCare Health Services now open

The wide spaces and comforting atmosphere at NewCare Health Services in Newton makes the facility feel more like a second home than a medical clinic.

NewCare had its grand opening last Monday and things have been going great since.

“The response has been much more rampant than what we thought it would be,” NewCare managing partner Todd Burch said. “It’s been very nice. It’s been pretty brisk walk-in traffic the first week. We weren’t expecting to be swamped the first week, but it’s been busier traffic than what we expected.”

He also said the clinic has plenty of room to grow.

Two unique aspects of the clinic are the hours of operation and the expanding of its medical staff. It stays open in the evening to allow its patients the chance to receive the medical attention they require.

“We have our walk-in clinic, and that is open 8 (a.m.) to 8 (p.m.), Monday through Friday; and 11 (a.m.) to 7 (p.m.), Saturday and Sunday,” Burch said. “And in August, we have an internal medical physician that will be joining us, whenever he finishes his residency. We’ve (also) had several other providers come in.”

He said the clinic is hoping to have at least three internal medical physicians on staff.

Burch had nothing but praise for The Newton Clinic.

“The Newton Clinic does a fantastic job,” he said. “We have nothing but respect for what they do.”

Burch is no stranger to the healthcare business. He worked as the CEO of a hospital in Pella for three years and said NewCare will focus on customer service.

“Our receptionist, in addition to registering and checking-out patients, will round up the lobby and provide snacks and help (patients) get drinks,” Burch said. “If they need help with the coffee machine or getting water out of the fridge, we are really trying to drive home a customer service mentality, second to none.”

Another advantage of the clinic will be available later in the year, once a new medical reference lab opens in Newton. This will not only benefit NewCare, but Skiff Medical Center and the Newton Clinic as well.

When asked if the construction of the lab played a factor in bringing the clinic to Newton, Burch said it was not the main reason.

He also said it allows the city to be appealing to the medical community.

In addition, the clinic has brought jobs to the community.

“In addition to our new medical physician, we’ve hired two additional nurse practitioners who will be starting over the next few months, and we are continuing to meet the health care needs of Jasper County locally, so people have an option instead of having to drive to Des Moines,” Burch said.

Like many health care providers, NewCare may face problems with medical funding. Despite the changes the medical field has experienced, Burch said he prefers to look at the situation from a different angle.

“As the world changes, we are seeing opportunities, and that is what we are seeing here,” he said. “The reason we put this clinic in is that there is an acute shortage of physicians in Jasper County, and there is an opportunity to capture some of those patients back that are going to Des Moines right now. Our best estimate is that there are 28,000 patient visits each year that are leaving Jasper County and are going elsewhere. We think that those visits can and should be done in the community.”

He also said every dollar that is spent on local medical care circulates seven times through the local economy.

“If you lose 28,000 patient visits at roughly $70 (or) $80 a visit ...That’s a lot of money that is circulating in someone else’s community,” Burch said

NewCare Health Services is located at 315 W. Third St. N. and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. Call (641) 791-0790 to schedule an appointment.