CHI Mercy Health was recently approved by parent company CommonSpirit Health for a $35 million Master Facilities Plan. 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 viability of Douglas County healthcare services. “The community’s health care 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. The Master Facilities Plan will support Mercy’s mission of being the premier provider of healthcare services in Douglas County. Benefits to patients will be having improved access to necessary and critical services locally,” says Dr. Jason Gray, chief medical officer. 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 each 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. Additionally, recent economic downturns and the rising costs of insurance to individuals and employers are expected to leave more families uninsured or under-insured and more reliant on hospital care. 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 Douglas County residents. Highlights of the project include implementing upgrades to Mercy’s operating rooms, expanding the emergency department patient care areas and addressing other specific facility needs. A few of these 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. “This investment has been a long-term priority for Mercy and CommonSpirit Health,” said Ketul J. Patel, president of CommonSpirit Health’s Pacific Northwest division. “We are deeply committed to clinical excellence and providing the highest quality of care for patients and families in Douglas County, and this project helps us deliver on that promise.” Concept drawings for the Master Facilities project have been completed and vetted by the operators and service line stakeholders. Next, additional schematic design, design development, and construction document work will be coordinated in fiscal year 2024. The project itself is expected to be completed by the end of January 2026. As part of the MFP investment strategy, Mercy will be recruiting healthcare providers to maintain critical areas of access to care in our community. Through charity care, charitable contributions and community outreach and education, Mercy makes a multi-million dollar investment in Douglas County every year. Follow the construction process on our website at: Expansion Plan - CHI Mercy Health - Mercy Medical Center About Mercy Medical Center: CHI Mercy Health Mercy Medical Center was started with a $12,000 gift from the Roseburg community. That is the sum the Sisters of Mercy raised to construct Roseburg’s first hospital. The 25-bed Mercy Hospital was dedicated on Feb. 22, 1909, just four months after construction began. It was built on the banks of the South Umpqua River where the Douglas County Health Department on Madrone Street currently stands. CHI Mercy Health has grown into a sophisticated 174-bed medical center with advanced technology and a continuum of services to ensure Douglas County residents have access to state-of-the-art healthcare without having to leave town. Today, more than 1,000 talented and dedicated employees and 100 compassionate and giving volunteers work throughout CHI Mercy Health. It is their commitment that has helped Mercy become one of the country's most highly rated hospitals for quality. In 2023, Mercy was named one of the Top 20 Rural and Community Hospitals in the country. www.chimercyhealth.org Via CHI Mercy Health