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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 I Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026
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Health & Wellness 2026
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Major surgical center project underway at Trinity Regional Medical Center By BILL SHEA bshea@messengernews.net
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t UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center, a massive project is underway to transform the way that patients who need surgery are cared for. The launch of the $39.8 million surgical center construction and renovation project was the major highlight of 2025 at the Fort Dodge hospital. The work will continue through this year, with completion expected in March 2027. Leah Glasgo, market president of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge, described the project as a “bold step forward for health care in our community.” “We’re investing in what matters most — patient outcomes and safety,” she said during a June 19 groundbreaking ceremony for the project. The project will consolidate all inpatient and outpatient surgery services in a new area just west of the main entrance of the hospital. It involves a new addition on the front of the build-
ing and renovations within the existing building. When complete, the center will feature five operating rooms, two endoscopy suites, 24 pre- and post-operative rooms and the central sterilization facility. Now, the hospital’s inpatient and outpatient surgery areas are in two different places in the building. The current inpatient surgery area opened in 1979 and remains essentially unchanged. Casey and Deb Johnson, of Fort Dodge, are leading a campaign to raise about $3 million to help pay for the project. While launching the building project, Unity Point Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center also made a much less visible investment in improved surgical care during 2025. The hospital acquired a da Vinci Xi Surgical System, which is a robot fully controlled by surgeons that enables them to do very precise work. Glasgo said use of the robot pro-
vides better patient outcomes and faster recovery times. She said it has been used in 100 cases so far. She added that since today’s surgeons are trained on devices like da Vinci Xi, having one is essential for recruiting and retaining surgeons. The hospital also installed a new MRI machine, which Glasgo described as “really essential for any diagnostic imaging.” It was put into use Oct. 1. During 2025, the hospital marked a couple of milestones. The new Trinity Heart Center marked one year of seeing patients after quickly being created to replace the local presence of Iowa Heart Center. The hospital also conducted its second summer internship program in which youths spent a couple weeks at the hospital learning about all of the different careers there. “It turned out to be a really fun event with kids who are exploring health care as a career,” Glasgo said.
“We’re investing in what matters most — patient outcomes and safety.” — Leah Glasgo Market president UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge
See TRMC, Page 3D
-Submitted images
ABOVE: This is what the new operating rooms will look like after the surgical center project is completed. There will be five operating rooms. TOP PHOTO: This image shows how the front of UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center will look after the surgical center expansion and renovation is completed. The new addition is to the left of the main entrance and has a series of tall windows on its front.
January 1–March 31, 2026
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