U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley toured Sioux Center Health and met with hospital board members and staff on Monday as part of his annual 99-county tour across Iowa, using Congress’ Fourth of July recess to discuss the challenges facing rural healthcare.
The Sioux Center stop came on the same day Grassley also visited Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake as part of his annual statewide tour. Grassley said the visits allow him to hear directly from Iowans and better understand the issues affecting their communities.
Grassley said he began visiting all 99 Iowa counties during his first year in the U.S. Senate and has continued the tradition every year since, saying it ensures no part of the state feels overlooked.
“One of my colleagues said, ‘You do that just once every term of office?’ No, I do that every year. This is the forty-sixth year in a row.”
Grassley said that after Tuesday’s visits, he would have just 23 counties remaining to visit in 2026.
Keeping Rural Healthcare Strong
Grassley said his annual hospital visits are especially important because they allow him to hear directly from healthcare providers about the issues affecting rural communities.
“I come to hospitals because I have always been an advocate for rural health care.”
A significant portion of Monday’s discussion centered on the future of rural healthcare and the challenges hospitals face in remaining financially sustainable.
Grassley pointed to closures of critical access hospitals in neighboring states and said preserving healthcare access in rural communities remains a top priority.
“We’ve got to worry about keeping rural hospitals open.”
The senator also highlighted the growing shortage of physicians nationwide, saying the country is currently short about 16,000 doctors and that number could eventually grow to 50,000. He said the shortage will likely lead to greater reliance on nurse practitioners and physician assistants, particularly in rural areas.
The discussion also touched on Medicaid, federal transition funding for rural hospitals, and the ongoing challenge of recruiting healthcare professionals and specialists to smaller communities.
Senator Grassley meets staff at Sioux Center Health during his tour of the facility / Photos: Sioux County Radio
Collaboration Key in Northwest Iowa
Following the meeting, Sioux Center Health CEO Cory Nelson said northwest Iowa continues to succeed because of the collaborative approach local healthcare providers and communities have taken toward meeting the region’s needs.
“I think Sioux Center Health, Sioux County, northwest Iowa as a whole, really sets the bar of what rural should look like,” Nelson said. “We figure out ways to collaborate. I don’t care whether it’s the city, the universities, the employers, the hospitals, whatever it is. We find ways to get things done to benefit the people that live here.”
Nelson said communities throughout the region routinely work together to address healthcare needs, recruit providers, and pursue projects that improve access to care.
He said that collaboration will continue to be essential as healthcare evolves and communities look for new ways to serve patients closer to home.
“We can’t do it alone anymore. We have to work together to meet the needs of the region and of our patients.”
Nelson said he remains optimistic about the future of healthcare in northwest Iowa and believes innovation and cooperation will help rural communities continue to thrive.
