In the past 24 years, Chet De Jong, MD, has seen hundreds of patients in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Soon, the physician will begin taking appointments in a new space. Sanford Health is constructing a new clinic on the west side of Rock Rapids that’s slated to open May 1.
The clinic, a one-stop location for many health care needs, will offer modern efficiencies and services, improving the patient experience.
An inventory of new equipment will be at the disposal of the providers and staff at the new facility. But Dr. De Jong is more excited about smaller features in the clinic such as wider hallways, larger examination rooms and an upgraded rehabilitation area.
“While it might not seem like a big deal, the privacy offered in the physical therapy department will be a much-appreciated feature of the new clinic,” said Dr. De Jong.
Providers and staff are also looking forward to the layout improvements in the new clinic. “Not only will staff be better able to interact with patients — those who are in wheelchairs or have limited mobility will find much more ease in maneuvering themselves around at the new facility,” said Dr. De Jong.
Rural tradition
The chief of staff at Sanford Rock Rapids and his colleagues have earned a reputation for putting patients first. Dr. De Jong values the opportunity he has to provide care in a rural setting. “You know patients better in a smaller setting as you interact with them on multiple levels outside the walls of the clinic,” he said.
Much of the work on the new clinic is expected to be completed by the middle of March to allow time for equipment installation and testing before patient visits start May 1. Until then, Dr. De Jong and the other providers at Sanford Rock Rapids will continue seeing patients at the current location, where they have established a tradition of caring for entire families through the years.
“I have the privilege of seeing adults who I delivered as babies in Rock Rapids, and I look forward to continuing to see those patients at the new clinic,” said Dr. De Jong.
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Posted In Rock Rapids, Sanford Stories
