FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:
Chris Berra, 314/364.2105

Sisters of Mercy Health System to Break Ground on New Data Center

ST. LOUIS, MO (April 22, 2008) – The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri., will formally break ground in Washington, Missouri, on April 29 for the construction of a new data center to serve Mercy hospitals, outpatient facilities, physician offices and other services throughout a seven-state area. The 40,000-squarefoot facility, slated for completion in August 2010, will enhance Mercy’s ability to support its growing reliance on information technology, including an electronic health record system that is that being implemented in hospitals, physician offices and outpatient centers across Mercy.

The data center is being designed to meet the specific needs of Mercy, according to Mike McCurry, vice president and chief information officer. “Most data centers – including Mercy’s current center in St. Louis – have been retrofitted within an existing space. By building our new data center from the ground up, Mercy is able to design it specifically to meet our current and anticipated needs.”

The data center’s design will meet requirements for around-the-clock support of all necessary systems, including redundant power and cooling. Once operational, the
existing data center will serve as a back-up facility with the ability to maintain essential systems as necessary.

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About Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) operates hospitals, physician practices, outpatient clinics, health plans and related health and human services in a seven state area including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Its members include 18 acute care hospitals providing more than 4,000 licensed beds, two heart hospitals, a managed care subsidiary (Mercy Health Plans), physician practices, outpatient care facilities, home health programs, skilled nursing services and long-term care facilities. Services are provided by approximately 30,000 co-workers and 4,000 physicians who are employed or practice at Mercy facilities. Mercy is the 9th largest Catholic healthcare system in the U.S. based on net patient service revenue and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy–St. Louis Regional Community.

 

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