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Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, IA

Iowa Lutheran Hospital is a nursing home community in Des Moines, IA.

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Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, IA

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  • Interior

    An office room with a large window offering an expansive view, a chair, and artwork on the wall.

  • Outdoors

    A sidewalk next to a parking lot with cars and trees on a sunny day.

  • Living Room

    A comfortable leather recliner situated in a cozy room.

  • Building

    A modern brick building against a clear blue sky.

  • Artwork

    A cozy waiting room with armchairs, a sofa, and decorative artwork on the walls.

  • Bathroom

    A chair with a piece of clothing draped over it, set against curtains and a wooden floor.

  • Lobby

    A hospital lobby with a reception and information desk.

  • Healthcare

    A hospital room showing an IV drip connected to a medical infusion pump.

  • Handrails

    A bathroom equipped with a commode chair, bucket, and cooler.

  • Hospital Bed

    A hospital room with a bed, medical equipment, and furniture.

700 East University, Des Moines, IA 50316

For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318

2.6 from 118 reviews
5 stars
44
4 stars
3
3 stars
2
2 stars
1
1 stars
68

Overall Review of Iowa Lutheran Hospital

common 18 reviews mention this

Staff are often described as caring

Residents and families frequently describe staff as attentive and respectful.

Across many reviews, people describe nurses, doctors, and therapists as attentive, professional, and genuinely caring. Several mention clear explanations of medications or procedures, and that communication helped them feel more comfortable during stressful care. A number of reviews also call out teamwork among care teams and say they felt listened to rather than dismissed.

caveat 10 reviews mention this

Long ER waits come up repeatedly

Multiple reviewers say ER wait times delayed care.

Several reviews report waiting in the emergency room for hours, including cases where people left before being seen or waited longer than expected. Some reviews describe being seated in a waiting area or staying for long stretches without seeing a doctor. Even where tests were eventually done, some reviewers felt the pace of care was too slow for their symptoms.

caveat 9 reviews mention this

Communication problems affect trust

Residents and families frequently mention poor communication during care.

A recurring concern is that reviewers felt information was not shared clearly or consistently, including delays in someone responding or following up. Some reviews describe room or floor handoffs where details were not passed along, leading to confusion about what was happening next. Other comments call out unprofessional interactions, including reported issues with how conversations were handled in the ER or mental health settings.

caveat 5 reviews mention this

Mental health units draw strong reactions

Reviews about the mental health experience are mixed and sometimes very negative.

Some reviewers describe the mental health and inpatient psychiatric experience as extremely difficult, including feelings of isolation and lack of meaningful communication. Others, however, report feeling safe and supported by staff during inpatient mental health stays, with proactive treatment planning. Taken together, the reviews suggest that the experience can vary widely depending on the situation and care team.

caveat 3 reviews mention this

Billing issues raise complaints

Some reviewers report billing problems or pressure at check-in.

A few reviews criticize billing and account handling, including reports of delayed bills and balances sent to collections. Others mention financial discussions at registration that they felt were not straightforward. These comments focus more on the administrative side than on clinical care itself.

How we summarize

Counts show how many written reviews mention each theme; a review can touch several themes, and only frequently mentioned themes are displayed.

Features

Housing

  • 16 resident community capacity 16 resident community capacity

Types of Care

  • Skilled Nursing Facility Skilled Nursing Facility

Amenities

  • Cable or satellite TV Cable or satellite TV
  • Dining room Dining room
  • Fully furnished Fully furnished
  • Garden Garden
  • Housekeeping services Housekeeping services
  • Move-in coordination Move-in coordination
  • Outdoor space Outdoor space
  • Telephone Telephone
  • Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available

Transportation

  • Des Moines International (5 miles away) Des Moines International (5 miles away)

Care Services

  • 24-hour supervision 24-hour supervision
  • Activities of daily living assistance Activities of daily living assistance
  • Assistance with bathing Assistance with bathing
  • Assistance with dressing Assistance with dressing
  • Assistance with transfers Assistance with transfers
  • Diabetes diet Diabetes diet
  • Meal preparation and service Meal preparation and service
  • Medication management Medication management
  • Special dietary restrictions Special dietary restrictions

Dining

  • Diabetes diet Diabetes diet
  • Special dietary restrictions Special dietary restrictions

Activities

  • Community-sponsored activities Community-sponsored activities
  • Scheduled daily activities Scheduled daily activities

Nearby Places of Interest

Hospitals

  • Unity Point Health (0 miles)
  • Mercy Medical Center 7 South (0.7 miles)
  • Mercy Hospital Pediatric Unit (0.7 miles)
  • Select Specialty Hospital-Des Moines (0.7 miles)
  • Mercy River Hills Surgery Center (0.8 miles)
  • UnityPoint Health - Iowa Methodist Medical Center - Emergency Department (1.5 miles)
  • North 3 - IMMC (1.5 miles)

Physicians

  • Des Moines Anesthesiologists (0 miles)
  • UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital Radiology Services (0 miles)
  • DaVita East Des Moines Dialysis (0.1 miles)
  • DMOS Orthopaedic Centers (0.1 miles)
  • Iowa Health Cardiology (0.1 miles)
  • Penn Medical Center (0.1 miles)
  • Ruan Neurology Clinic (0.6 miles)

Restaurants

  • Heather’s Kitchen (0.7 miles)
  • Zombie Burger + Drink Lab (0.8 miles)
  • Tasty Tacos (0.8 miles)
  • Iowa Taproom (1 miles)
  • Fongs Pizza (1.2 miles)
  • Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Company (1.2 miles)
  • Ritas Cantina (1.3 miles)

Cafes

  • Starbucks (1.3 miles)
  • Starbucks (1.7 miles)
  • Caribou Coffee (2.9 miles)

Pharmacies

  • CVS Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
  • Walgreens (1.9 miles)
  • Walgreens (2.5 miles)
  • Kayser Hearing Aid & Audiology (2.7 miles)
  • Walgreens (2.8 miles)
  • Dahl's Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
  • Walgreens (3 miles)

Parks

  • Stone Park (2.3 miles)
  • Gray's Lake Park (3 miles)
  • Sayers Park (4 miles)

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