Dave Miglin is Chair of the Broadlawns Board of Trustees.

In January 2021, the people of Polk County made their voices heard and I was honored to be appointed as a Trustee for Broadlawns Medical Center to complete the term of retired Trustee, Mary Fuller. At that time, our county hospital was dealing with an extraordinary health care crisis (COVID-19) and internal transition brought by the retirement of longtime CEO Jody Jenner. Those months of transition and uncertainty could have easily derailed the positive momentum that was underway at Broadlawns – but it didn’t.

Together with my fellow Trustees, our hospital leadership, and community partners, Broadlawns not only survived these trying times, but it has flourished. Since I joined the Board, we have started or completed many projects that will help Polk County families for years to come, including:

• The CARE Program which was championed by AMOS and established in collaboration with local law enforcement. This program places Broadlawns-managed mental health support for adults and youths inside 9-1-1 dispatch with a mobile crisis response team when called upon. In the first year of implementation (2023), we responded to more than 1,500 mental health calls that would have otherwise likely resulted in incarceration.
• The planning and construction of the Drake Community Clinic. Open to all Polk County residents, this clinic includes important services such as wellness exams, vaccinations, non-emergent, acute illnesses & injuries, urgent care, mental health, family medicine, physical therapy, and a rotation of specialties. The Drake Clinic also serves as the new home for the Drake University Student Health Center.
• In partnership with Variety Children’s Charity, Broadlawns remodeled the 1,700 sq. ft. pediatrics clinic. The remodel enhanced the efficiency of the space, with improvements to intake, patient flow, safety, and the addition of three exam rooms. 
• Broadlawns invested over $1 million to update our orthopedic robotic surgical equipment to provide the highest level of care and fastest possible recovery time.
• Broadlawns added a reflection room to our main campus, named in honor of Dr. Udaya Kabadi, who faithfully served the patients of Broadlawns for 16 years. This serene space will allow families facing health care emergencies within Broadlawns to find a place of comfort and peace.
• Our nursing shortage in Iowa is nearing crisis-level. In partnership with Drake University, Broadlawns responded by developing an accelerated nursing program, which launches in the fall. This program will help train and place nurses in Polk County and across the state in hopes of reducing this shortage.
• In the fall of 2024, a collaboration between Broadlawns, Polk County, and St. Vincent de Paul will result in a new sobering center to help those in our community struggling with alcoholism and addiction.

It’s worth noting that Broadlawns has accomplished all of this and more, while using approximately 25 percent less of our share of the property tax levy generously provided by the Polk County taxpayers. This is what good governance looks like.

As any business or government leader knows, the road to progress is rarely smooth. In 2022 and 2023, we saw several staffing changes at various levels of the organization, including the CEO. Despite those changes, the leadership, providers, and staff who joined and remain at Broadlawns are committed to the family-like culture and mission of this 100-year-old hospital, which is to build a healthy community in which there is accessible, cost-effective, and high-quality patient care for all.

But there is more work to do. New clinics are being considered, updating old sections of the hospital will be necessary, and addressing illnesses such as dementia in a state with a rapidly aging population will be critical. These are among the reasons why I’ve decided to run for another term on the Broadlawns Board of Trustees, and I respectfully ask for the support of Polk County voters this November.

Elections are often thought to be a referendum on incumbent leadership or policies. They are also about the future and the vision put forth by candidates should they be entrusted to lead. I feel that the results thus far demonstrate my strong commitment to this organization and public health care in general. I also know what it will take to achieve the results we want in the future.

Broadlawns is doing well in our community, and we all want to see this progress continue. If you agree, please share your support for my campaign and vote for me, Dave Miglin, in the November 2024 general election.