State Auditor and Candidate for Governor Rob Sand hosted an hour-long discussion about healthcare at the Newton School District’s Administration Building on Wednesday morning. 

Eight central Iowa healthcare representatives participated, including a member of the MercyOne Newton Medical Center Board of Directors, a Newton mental health provider, and an OBGYN from UnityPoint Health in Grinnell. Several topics were addressed, including the lack of young professionals in medical fields, the emergence of Tele-Health services, struggles with state reimbursement for services, and the lack of child delivery providers in the Newton area. 

“One of the things that I thought was really interesting was learning that there is one place delivering babies between Waterloo and Pella, and Des Moines and Iowa City. That place is Grinnell, and there are three doctors there. Hearing that from one of the doctors here, and hearing the pressures they are dealing with, really helps me reflect on the idea that we want to make sure Iowa is a welcoming state.”