Pella Regional Health Center is a private, nonprofit critical access hospital based in Pella, Iowa, with five decades of continuous service to Marion County and the surrounding region. The hospital operates as the anchor of a broader health system that includes a main hospital campus, outpatient surgery and infusion services, eight medical clinics across central Iowa, home health and hospice programs, and specialty service lines covering most of what a regional population needs. The system is locally governed, Joint Commission accredited, and maintains 4-star CMS Hospital Compare and HCAHPS patient experience ratings.
| Facility Type | Critical Access Hospital |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Private, nonprofit (voluntary) |
| Year Founded | 1960 (originally Pella Community Hospital; renamed Pella Regional Health Center in 1996 after merger with Pella Medical Clinic) |
| Licensed and Staffed Beds | 25 |
| Total Facility Square Footage | 152,969 |
| Employees | 613 |
| Annual ER Visits | 9,456 |
| Annual Discharges | 1,121 |
| Average Length of Stay | 3.61 days |
| Case Mix Index | 1.41 |
| Accreditation | The Joint Commission |
| EMR | MEDITECH |
| Trauma Designation | Level IV |
| Service Area | Marion County and surrounding central and southeast Iowa |
| Mission | Providing healthcare and healing services with Christian compassion |
| Address | 404 Jefferson Street, Pella, IA 50219 |
Pella Regional is locally owned and governed. A community-based board of directors led by Board President Randy Stravers oversees the system. The board includes three physician directors (Stephen Barnes, DO; Doug Kanis, DO; and Craig Wittenberg, MD), providing direct clinician input into strategy and governance. Senior leadership is anchored by Chief Executive Officer Bob Kroese and an executive team that includes finance, operations, medical affairs, and nursing leadership.
Pella Regional operates an unusually broad service portfolio for a 25-bed critical access hospital. In-house services include:
| Category | Services |
|---|---|
| Primary Care | Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Walk-in Clinics |
| Medical Specialties | Rheumatology, Nephrology, Pulmonology, Pain Management, Sleep Medicine, Weight Management |
| Surgical Specialties | General Surgery, Orthopedics, Gynecology, Urogynecology, Urology, Podiatry, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |
| Women’s Health | Family Birthing Center, Gynecology, Genetic Testing and Counseling, Breast Care Program |
| Cancer Care | Medical Oncology infusion, Breast Care Program, Cancer support services |
| Emergency and Acute | 24/7 Emergency Department, Inpatient Care, Critical Care |
| Rehabilitation | Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation |
| Diagnostics | Medical Imaging and Radiology, Laboratory, Genetic Testing |
| Ancillary | Infusion, Wound Care, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Pharmacy, Respiratory Care, Audiology, Diabetes Education, Nutrition |
| Extended Care | Home Health, Hospice |
| Visiting Specialty Clinic | Allergy and Immunology, Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Vascular Care |
The Pella Regional system operates clinics and locations in multiple central Iowa communities:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Inpatient EHR | MEDITECH |
| Annual IT Capital Budget | $1.87 million |
| Technology Breadth | Strong (per Definitive Healthcare) |
| ACO Participation | Yes (Wellmark - Pella Regional Health ACO; Main Street Rural Health Dogwood ACO) |
| Health Information Exchange | Carequality |
| GPO Membership | Premier Inc. (primary) |
The system operates a patient portal that enables patients to access medical and prescription records, lab results, and secure messaging with providers.
Pella Regional consistently performs at or above national benchmarks for critical access hospitals.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Hospital Compare Overall Rating | 4 stars |
| HCAHPS Patient Experience Rating | 4 stars |
| Readmission Rate (All-Cause) | 14.20% |
| Joint Commission Accreditation | Yes, current |
Pella Regional Health Center reports stable operating performance with a recent technology investment program that includes a planned $14 million-plus Cancer Infusion Center on the Pella campus. The system also recently announced a collaboration with Knoxville Hospital and Clinics to establish the South Central Iowa Radiation Center on the Pella campus, which expands regional cancer services and reduces patient travel for oncology care.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Net Patient Revenue | $132.5 million |
| Total Patient Revenue | $267.1 million |
| Total Assets | $183.6 million |
| Cash on Hand | $12.7 million |
| Payor | Net Patient Revenue | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Private, Self-Pay, and Other | $109.4 million | 82.5% |
| Medicare | $13.9 million | 10.5% |
| Medicaid | $9.2 million | 6.9% |
The strong commercial payor mix is a meaningful financial advantage for a rural hospital of this size and supports sustained reinvestment in service lines and physician practices.
Pella Regional draws patients from a wide geographic catchment that extends well beyond the immediate Pella community.
| Patient Origination | Share |
|---|---|
| Pella (ZIP 50219) | 61.6% |
| Knoxville | 15.9% |
| Ottumwa | 9.8% |
| Monroe | 5.4% |
| Oskaloosa | 3.8% |
Specialty referrals reach Pella Regional from Burlington, the Iowa City corridor, northern Missouri, the Des Moines metro, and as far west as Omaha for select services.