JOINT PRESS RELEASE: IOWA LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND PACHS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE HEALTHCARE GROWTH AND EDUCATION
EMMETSBURG, IOWA — Iowa Lakes Community College and Palo Alto County Health System (PACHS) have reached agreements totaling $500,000 that will support the future of healthcare services and healthcare education throughout Northwest and Central Iowa.
Through the partnership, Palo Alto County Health System will purchase approximately 5.088 acres of land from Iowa Lakes Community College for $109,000. The property is located just north of the hospital and south of the Ballaster dorm on the Iowa Lakes Emmetsburg Campus. The acquisition will provide PACHS with additional space to support future expansion and long-term healthcare needs in the region.
As part of the organization’s continued partnership, PACHS will also make a $391,000 donation to Iowa Lakes Community College to support the development of an Emergency Room Simulation Lab on the Emmetsburg Campus.
The simulation lab will provide Iowa Lakes students with an immersive learning environment designed to replicate situations they may encounter in an emergency department. The facility will strengthen hands-on training for students preparing for careers in healthcare and help develop the skilled professionals needed by healthcare providers throughout northwest Iowa.
In addition to supporting student education, the Emergency Room Simulation Lab will provide opportunities for emergency preparedness training and simulations in partnership with local and county emergency management services, further extending the impact of the facility throughout the region.
“This partnership is a tremendous example of what can happen when organizations come together around the long-term needs of the communities we serve,” said Scott Stokes, President of Iowa Lakes Community College. “The land provides Palo Alto County Health System with an opportunity to plan for its future, while its investment in our Emergency Room Simulation Lab will directly impact the education and preparation of future healthcare professionals. Ultimately, both pieces of this partnership are investments in the future of our region.”
For PACHS, the land acquisition represents an important step in positioning the health system to respond to evolving healthcare needs and opportunities for future growth.
“Planning for the future of rural healthcare requires us to think beyond what our community needs today and prepare for what it will need years from now,” said Jonathan Moe, CEO of Palo Alto County Health System. “This agreement gives PACHS additional flexibility as we consider future expansion, while our investment in Iowa Lakes helps strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals who will serve communities like ours. These two initiatives are closely connected to the long-term health and vitality of our region.”
The agreements are the result of collaboration between the Palo Alto County Health System Board of Trustees and the Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees, whose members worked with leadership from both organizations to identify an approach that benefits the institutions and the communities they serve.
“Both boards recognized that this was an opportunity to look beyond the individual needs of our organizations and consider what would create the greatest long-term benefit for the community,” Stokes said. “We appreciate the leadership and thoughtful work of both boards in moving these agreements forward.”
The partnership also reflects the longstanding relationship between Iowa Lakes and PACHS. Healthcare providers throughout the region depend on a strong workforce, while Iowa Lakes relies on partnerships with healthcare organizations to ensure students receive education and experiences that prepare them for the realities of their professions.
The new Emergency Room Simulation Lab will further strengthen that connection by giving students opportunities to practice clinical decision-making, teamwork, communication and emergency response in a controlled learning environment before entering patient-care settings. The lab’s ability to support emergency preparedness exercises with community partners will also create opportunities to strengthen coordination and readiness among organizations responsible for responding to emergencies throughout Palo Alto County.
“This is about investing in our community from two directions,” Moe said. “We are creating opportunities for the future growth of healthcare services while investing in the people who will provide that care. We are grateful for the partnership of Iowa Lakes Community College and for the work of both boards to make these opportunities possible.”
Iowa Lakes Community College plans to break ground on the Emergency Room Simulation Lab in spring 2027, advancing the college’s efforts to expand hands-on healthcare education and emergency preparedness training in the region.
About Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College provides opportunities for quality lifelong learning and promotes economic development throughout the communities it serves. The college provides career and technical education, transfer programs, workforce training and continuing education across northwest Iowa.
About Palo Alto County Health System
Palo Alto County Health System is a county-owned, not-for-profit healthcare organization serving Palo Alto County and the surrounding region. PACHS provides a continuum of healthcare services focused on meeting the well-being and lifecare needs of the communities it serves.