Mercy completes second phase of heart hospital

Last edited 1:46 p.m., Sept. 11, 2019

Mercy Hospital Springfield yesterday hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Phase II of its local heart hospital.

Located on the west side of the hospital, facing National Avenue, Phase II added a dedicated entrance for heart patients — along with valet parking — and relocated clinic space from Mercy Clinic-Whiteside on South Fremont Avenue, according to a news release.

The planned three-phase construction project has a combined price tag of $110 million with an expected completion in October 2020, said Mercy spokeswoman Sonya Kullmann. She was unable to provide the cost of Phase II.

“Our heart hospital construction project was scheduled to be opened in two phases originally,” said Adam Whitten, vice president of heart, lung and vascular services for Mercy in Springfield, in the release. “When we saw there was an opportunity to make access easier for our patients by moving our physicians into the new clinic space earlier, we jumped at the chance to finish up this portion of the construction. Patients will be able to pull right up to the door, have someone else park their car and immediately get on the elevator. For many of our heart patients, those saved steps make a big difference.”

Completed in fall 2018, Phase I added cardiac nuclear medicine and a noninvasive testing area. Phase III is designed with a heart surgery preparation and recovery area, surgery rooms and an observation unit, among other features, according to the release.

Next to the heart hospital, Mercy recently broke ground on a $7.5 million children’s emergency room.