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Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center expansion begins

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

The interior of the covered entrance to Mercy Hospital stands exposed just prior to it's removal. Much of the existing structure of the entrance area will be removed and an addition put on to provide more room.

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

Construction is underway on the remodeling of the Mercy Hospital entrance area. The building will be added to, creating a new reception, admitting and consultation areas among others.

JANESVILLE — It’s a truism that one home improvement project typically leads to another.

As a business, Mercy Health System is finding that to be the case.

The Janesville-based health care system recently started construction on a $10 million expansion at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center that will end this fall, about the same time it completes a similarly priced renovation and expansion of Mercy Clinic East in Janesville.

At the hospital, the expansion is a necessary result of extensive hospital renovations that have been going on for years, as well as the addition of a Level II trauma center in 2009, said Javon Bea, Mercy’s president and chief executive officer.

“Since 2009, we have admitted more than 600 trauma cases to Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center, and, more important, Mercy has decreased patient transfers to other trauma facilities by 80 percent,” Bea said.

That’s created space issues that the 10,000-square-foot expansion will address, he said.

Specifically, the project will provide a welcoming entrance to the newly designed patient services area. Unique features include:

-- A more private patient registration area.

-- Expanded waiting areas for the families of surgical and trauma patients.

-- Redesigned and expanded family consultation rooms for private meetings with surgeons.

-- A notification system that doesn’t tether visitors to a waiting room.

-- An open staircase to the ground floor for more convenient access to the cafeteria.

-- A gift shop.

-- A newly designed entrance area to accommodate people with mobility concerns, and a wider, longer curbside patient pickup area to allow more vehicles to pass through.

-- A new healing garden.

“Our new patient services expansion supports Mercy’s dedication and commitment to always improve our patient-centered care,” Bea said. “We’ve listened to our community.

“These proactive changes reflect that feedback and are a culmination of many years of planning, hard work and dedication.”

In keeping with past practices, Mercy has planned several green initiatives for the project.

They include high-performing glass, energy-efficient lighting, efficient mechanicals and the use of local materials to reduce delivery costs and environmental impact.

Bea said that while the project is only a couple of weeks old, he’s been reminded once again how understanding Mercy visitors can be.

“It’s amazing how understanding and accommodating they are during construction,” he said. “But I think it’s because they know that a good thing is coming.”

During construction

Important facts for patients and visitors as construction continues into November at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center in Janesville:

-- The West Clinic Building entrance will be the main entrance.

-- A free parking valet service is in the elevator lobby of the Sister Michael Berry Building.

-- The gift shop has moved to the ground floor.

-- Outpatient surgery patients and families will enter and exit through the north entrance, near the Mercy Conference Center.

-- Customer service representatives are available to help patients and families navigate. Employees and volunteers also will help patients and visitors find their way around the campus.