ST. LOUIS - The final steel beam was lifted and set into place on the new five-level Mercy Ballas Multispecialty Building across Conway Road from Mercy Hospital St. Louis. Scheduled for completion in summer 2023, the center will be one of the largest outpatient surgery centers in the country.
Prior to lifting the final beam, it was signed by hundreds of doctors, nurses, co-workers and the tradesmen. The evergreen on the beam represents a cherished tradition of the Ironworkers that shows the project has progressed safely and is considered a good luck charm for future occupants. There are varying accounts to how this tradition started but it is said to be an ode to ancient European traditions that signify a safe and successful raising.
Feb. 16, 2021 - Mercy Breaks Ground on Multispecialty Center
ST. LOUIS – After several years of planning, Mercy recently broke ground on an innovative multispecialty center across from Mercy Hospital St. Louis. With more than 272,000 square feet of space, the high-tech, five-level outpatient center will be designed with the patient experience top of mind at every turn, offering a seamless experience.
“The technologies and patient-centered approaches we plan to introduce will pave the way for the patient experience of the future, along with a better, more streamlined experience for our physicians and co-workers,” said Stephen Mackin, Mercy executive vice president and Mercy St. Louis community president. “We evaluated leading consumer models both inside and outside of health care, are crafting the experience based on what patients want and need, incorporating both patient and physician input. By leveraging technology, we expect to eliminate typical health care elements patients simply don’t value and deliver an integrated patient care experience that’s intentionally proactive, predictive and personalized.”
Through extensive research, Mercy has taken lessons from other world-class, customer-focused industries and applied them to health care. The new model of care will consider every step of a patient journey, allowing for peace of mind.
“We looked at everything. Nothing was off the table,” said Dr. Jeff Ciaramita, president Mercy Clinic in the St. Louis region. “Mercy’s mission is to get health care right and we know that when patients are dealing with health concerns, they need ease. We must make everything from finding a parking spot to wait times easier for our patients. By enabling them to plan and take charge, we provide calm in the midst of sometimes challenging health care needs.”
Plans include functions such as dynamic scheduling where patients receive an itinerary for each step of their visit prior to arrival; single point of care, ensuring patients can get everything they need without adding another stop; and virtual visitors when family members or loved ones can’t be physically present with the patient.
Specialties will include bariatrics, neurosurgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, reconstructive surgery and urology. There will be additional services to support care such as weight and wellness programming, imaging services and a surgery center.
The design fosters improved integration between physicians and other providers across specialties, combining their expertise through use of specially created collaboration spaces and technologies to improve patient care. Some of the functionality was enhanced due to the coronavirus pandemic and what Mercy has learned in the past year. Co-worker and lounge areas will flex to be both spaces for collaboration and, as needed, separation. Waiting rooms have also been designed to provide ample space for social distancing if necessary, even incorporating the outdoors when possible.
The facility, which will be built at the corner of Ballas and Conway roads, is a collaboration with Blue Cottage of Cannon Design, Alberici/KAI, a joint venture of Alberici Constructors, Inc. and KAI Enterprises.
“This facility is incredibly future-focused,” said Mike Pukszta, director of Cannon Design’s Health Practice. “The concepts embedded throughout this project will set a new benchmark to make health care more personal, more efficient, more effective, all to provide better experiences and care for the future.
