Three Mercy Hospitals Named Consumer Choice Winners

Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City, St. John’s Health System in Springfield, Missouri, and St. Edward Mercy Medical Center in Fort Smith, Arkansas, recently were named as Consumer Choice Award winners by the National Research Corporation. This is the fourth year in a row that St. Edward has received this honor. All three hospitals are listed as those most preferred by patients in their markets in the September 17 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine.

Hot Springs Cancer Center Acquires New Technology

The Mercy Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas, recently acquired image-guided radiation therapy technology for cancer treatment. This technology delivers conventional forms of radiation therapy with extraordinary precision and can compensate for any movements a patient might make during a treatment. In addition, the system is able to concentrate radiation doses on the tumor while protecting surrounding healthy tissue. It also shapes the radiation beam to match the three-dimensional shape of the tumor and contains a robotic device that allows for tracking of tumor movement.

Arkansas Hospital Adds Tool for Cardiac Assessment

Mercy Medical Center in Northwest Arkansas has added a new clinical tool measures a cardiac-specific protein in the body that is released if heart muscle is damaged or stressed. This tool allows medical staff to administer and conduct the test at the patient’s bedside instead of in a lab and has a process time of only 10 minutes, versus an hour for other traditional methods. Mercy Medical Center is the first hospital in Northwest Arkansas and only the second in the state of Arkansas to utilize this technology.

Kansas Hospital Opens Sleep Lab

Fort Scott: Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott, Kansas, recently opened a new sleep lab as part of its services to the local community. The lab was created using the latest in technology and its two rooms were designed to resemble regular bedrooms in order to create a more relaxing atmosphere for patients undergoing tests.

Kansas Nurse Receives Award for Work with Mercy

Independence: Mardie Bell, R.N., OB coordinator for Mercy Hospital in Independence, Kansas, recently received the Making a Difference for Women Award from the local chapter of the Soroptimist International of Independence organization. Mardie was honored for her 15 years of work with Mercy as an obstetrics nurse, childbirth educator and coordinator of Mercy Hospital’s Maternal and Infant Clinic.

Oklahoma Pharmacy Team Receives Patient Safety Honors

Oklahoma City: Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City was recently named one of three finalists for the American Society of Health System Pharmacists Excellence in Medication Safety award and was honored with an Institute for Safe Medication Practice Cheers Award for 2007. Both awards are based on Mercy Health Center’s Fall Prevention Program, which considers the pharmacological effects of medications on the risk of falls.

Ardmore Study Featured in Two National Publications

Ardmore: A study on new antiseptic gauze conducted at Mercy Memorial Health Center in Ardmore, Oklahoma, is the subject of articles in the upcoming issues of The American Journal of Infection Control and Infectious Disease News. The study found that using the newly-developed antiseptic wound dressing to treat wounds speeds the healing process for patients.

St. John’s Mercy, Mercy Corporate Office Honored as “Best Places to Work”

St. Louis: St. John’s Mercy Medical Center and the Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) corporate office have been recognized as among the Best Places to Work in St. Louis. The awards were based on employee surveys conducted through the St. Louis Business-Journal and were announced in the April 11 issue. St. John’s Mercy was named the first-place winner in the “giant employers” category (2000-plus employees) and Mercy’s corporate office took third-place honors in the “large employers” category (650 to 2000 employees).

Washington Auxiliary Honored

Washington: St. John’s Mercy Hospital Auxiliary, part of St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Washington, Missouri, received an Auxiliary of the Year award for their volunteer services to the healthcare community at the Missouri Hospital Association’s (MHA) 85th Annual Convention and Trade Show. From June 2006 through May 2007, 217 St. John’s Mercy Hospital Auxiliary members volunteered 68,302 hours and contributed $105,243 to hospital and scholarship programs, in addition to volunteering with 71 hospital care programs, fundraising projects and awareness campaigns.

St. John’s Hospital Opens New Patient Tower

After three years of construction, St. John’s Hospital in Springfield celebrated the opening of its new patient tower on April 19. The 360,000-square-foot tower increases the hospital’s capacity by 110 beds and serves as the new hospital main entrance. Rooms overlook new courtyards and campus green space and are outfitted with fold-out sofa beds for visitors or family members, wireless Internet and soothing artwork.

Mercy Ministries of Laredo Opens Dental Clinic

Mercy Ministries of Laredo recently opened a new dental clinic for uninsured adults residing in Webb County and adjacent colonias, low-income unincorporated communities along the U.S.-Mexico International Boundary. Click here to learn more.