Mercy Orthopedic Hospital Honored with Design Award

Mercy Orthopedic Hospital in Fort Smith was recently honored with a GOLD award at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Design in Excellence Awards Gala earlier this month in New Orleans. The regional award competition covers the states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Mercy Orthopedic Hospital Fort Smith opened its doors October 2014. It offers a 10,138 square foot rehabilitation area with a therapy pool, 24 fully-furnished patient rooms designed for comfort of post-surgical patients, eight operating rooms, a pre-operative testing area, chapel, waiting areas for families and a café.

Mercy design elements are located throughout the building. The lantern and the cross at the outside entrance serve as a beacon to draw people in. The cornerstone of the building includes a large stone etched with the year built, as well as the cross within a cross symbol. Throughout the space you will also find Mercy’s mission statement, words etched on glass that bring encouragement, a heritage wall that tells the story of Mercy and a vessel wall with a number of clay vessels that represent the diversity and service Mercy co-workers and providers offer those who come to Mercy for care.

“Mercy takes pride in the exceptional service and quality care we deliver every day, but we also know the patient experience is much more than that,” said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Hospital Fort Smith. “When a person comes to one of our facilities for care or to visit someone they love, we want them to know they are in a place of healing, ministry and comfort. Mercy Orthopedic Hospital is a wonderful representation of our commitment to our patients and this community, and we are honored to have received this award.”

Many were involved with the design and construction of the hospital, including Mercy Planning, Design & Construction, Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects, JE Dunn Construction Co. and Hawkins-Weir Engineers, Inc.

ASID is the organization for professional interior designers and offers education, training, business support and advocacy to more than 36,000 members. ASID is committed to leading research initiatives in the industry and provides networking opportunities and support on national and local levels through 48 chapters in the United States and Canada.