September 5, 2023 3:35 a.m.
CHI Mercy Health was recently approved by parent company CommonSpirit Health for a $35 million Master Facilities Plan.
A CHI Mercy release said the medical center’s goal is to better meet the growing needs for inpatient and outpatient care, keep pace with advances in medicine, and strengthen the future visibility of health services in Douglas County.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Gray said, “The community’s health needs are growing at a time when our current facilities are at capacity. This approval is an exciting step towards creating a healthier future for our community”. Gray said the plan will support Mercy’s mission of being the premier provider of healthcare services in the county. He said benefits to patients will be having improved access to necessary and critical services locally.
The release said over the last 114 years, Mercy has grown into a state-of-the-art medical center that meets healthcare needs across the full spectrum of life. Almost a thousand babies are born every year at Mercy, more than 40,000 people visit the hospital’s emergency department annually and thousands of residents benefit from AIM Therapies, Hospice, Lab and Imaging Services. As Douglas County continues to grow, the need for medical services is expected to increase in coming years. High growth rates are projected in the 65-year old and above population groups, which traditionally use healthcare resources at higher rates than the general population. In addition, recent economic downtowns and the rising cost of insurance to individuals and employers are expected to leave more families uninsured or under-insured and more reliant on hospital care.
The release said Mercy’s existing 190,045 square-foot facility is often operating at capacity. As a result, patient convenience and staff efficiency have been challenged. This investment will deliver improved access to medical services and a wider complement of specialty physician services to local residents. Highlights of the project include implementing upgrades to Mercy’s operating room, expanding the emergency department patient care areas and addressing other specific facility needs. A few of the renovations involve expanding and modernizing two operating rooms, increasing endoscopy capacity and expanding the number of fast-track and observation rooms available in the emergency department.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2026.
Follow the construction process at: https://chimercyhealth.com/about-us/expansion-plan/