Plans included repurposing the original building as a nurses' home and establishing a training school to provide affordable staffing and professional opportunities for women.

The addition featured Dubuque's first patient transfer system using elevators, steam heating to reduce infections, and a third-floor kitchen to prevent cooking odors.

Opening day festivities were organized by the Dorothea Dix Circle, who raised funds in creative ways, such as dressing as streetcar conductors.

In 1925, the Sunshine Circle held a Better Baby Health Conference, examining children born at Finley under American Medical Society guidelines.

[19][20][19] Expansions followed, including a 1950 addition increasing bed capacity, operating rooms, and maternity facilities, and a cobalt therapy unit for cancer treatments in 1961.

In 1970, the Dubuque County Medical Society purchased multimedia educational materials for coronary care, benefiting Finley and other local hospitals.

[21] In 1984, Finley Hospital closed its School of Nursing, citing declining enrollment and cost pressures, though current students were allowed to complete the program.

The hospital installed a General Electric Spiral CT Scanner in 1994 and introduced the Kids Count Too program for children with family members battling cancer.

New services included a pain management program and the "Convenient Care" after-hours clinic, while Finley was designated a Level II hospital for high-risk pregnancies.

[40][41] In 2010, Finley was named to the "100 Top Hospitals" list by Thomson Reuters for its performance in patient safety, quality, and cost measures.

In 2012, the hospital was approved for a cardiac catheterization laboratory to treat cardiovascular disease and introduced the da Vinci robotic system for surgeries.

[44][45] In November 2015, Finley Hospital launched genetic counseling program to assess cancer risks based on family medical histories, supported by proceeds from the Pink Ribbon Open golf outing.

Two new urgent care clinics were also added in 2016, with one opening in August and the other in December, offering extended hours and services at more affordable prices than emergency rooms.

[50][51][52][53][54] In October 2022, Dr. Catherine Miller, a neurosurgeon, relocated to Dubuque, filling a need for local care in brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve conditions.

[55] In 2022, UnityPoint expanded virtual care with the introduction of SmartExam, a service offering treatment plans for common conditions for a $30 fee.

[57] On July 9, 2024, it was announced that Chad Wolbers, President and CEO of Finley Hospital, would leave his position in August 2024 to pursue an entrepreneurial venture.

Wolbers had previously served as COO and played a role in securing a cardiac catheterization lab and leading a $42 million expansion project before returning as CEO in 2019.

[1] In 2022, Finley received the Chest Pain - MI Registry Award Silver by the American College of Cardiology, as well as a Primary Stroke Center Certification from DNV.

[1] In 2023, Finley received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain MI Registry Gold Performance Achievement Award.

Finley also earned the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award and a CMS 5-Star Hospital rating for the third year in a row in 2023.

The hospital also earned a certificate of achievement for its participation in the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Stroke post-acute care initiative.