Ottumwa, IA (November 24, 2025) – Ottumwa Regional Health Center (ORHC) is pleased to announce the reopening of its sleep lab, a critical healthcare service that was temporarily suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of November 2025, the facility has resumed operations and is currently scheduling appointments for patients aged 13 and older. This expansion of services addresses a significant need in the community, providing access to specialized sleep studies for a younger demographic not previously catered to in the region.

 The ORHC Sleep Lab has been upgraded with the latest in-sleep study technology, featuring Somnitech’s new computers and equipment under the guidance of our new medical director, Dr Jessica Hicks. These enhancements underscore ORHC's commitment to delivering state-of-the-art healthcare services and to improving patient outcomes through the precise diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.

 With the lab's reopening, ORHC addresses the limitations of home sleep studies, which, while useful, cannot always capture the full spectrum of sleep issues. The facility offers overnight sleep studies that are essential for the accurate assessment and management of various sleep disorders, details of which are now available through our department.

 "Our team is committed to providing comprehensive sleep medicine services to our community," said Dr. Jessica Hicks, the medical director of the sleep lab. "The reopening of the ORHC Sleep Lab with its advanced capabilities is a pivotal step towards enhancing the health and well-being of our patients, particularly for the underserved adolescent population."

 The sleep lab's services are unique in the region for offering access to adolescents thirteen and up, and adults alike, filling a critical gap in healthcare provisions. This initiative is part of ORHC's broader mission to extend specialized medical services to all age groups within the community.

ORHC invites the community to an Open House on Wednesday, December 3^rd, 4:30pm-6:30pm, where guests can participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tour the renovated facility, and meet our care givers and providers.  The sleep lab event offers an opportunity to learn about the importance of sleep health and the comprehensive services for the providers.

 For more information about sleep services at Ottumwa Regional Health Center, visit OttumwaRegionalHealth.com/sleep-lab or call 641.684.3102.

  About Ottumwa Regional Health Center (ORHC) 

Ottumwa Regional Health Center is a 217-bed hospital that has served Ottumwa, Wapello County and surrounding southeast Iowa communities for more than 125 years. The hospital provides a broad range of services, including emergency care, medical and surgical care, critical care, acute rehabilitation, obstetrics, pediatrics and specialty services. These include cardiac catheterization, diagnostic and therapeutic imaging, wound care, pain management, sleep studies and pathology.

Ottumwa Regional Health Center is committed to its mission of making communities healthier. For more information, call 641.684.2300 or visit ottumwaregionalhealth.com.