The term “hospital” itself comes from the Latin word hospes, which means guest. Hospes is also the root for “host” and “hospitality,” reflecting a provision of care and compassion.
But what does it mean to a community, state, and region? And when does it transcend its purpose as a place for treatment and healing, education and training, and research and discovery?
These questions had been on my mind as we neared completion of our new academic medical campus in North Liberty, Iowa. As this issue of Medicine Iowa goes to press, we’re still several weeks away from officially opening the campus as the new home for the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and a third UI Health Care emergency department.
I can sense the anticipation when I talk about the North Liberty campus with our employees, colleagues across the university, and everyday Iowans. And this excitement leads me back to the question: What makes a medical center more than just a building?
The answer is people.
