Mercy to break ground on new Marion Emergency Department
Groundbreaking ceremony set for Oct. 17
Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Marion Emergency Department at 1 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 17 at 999 35th Street in Marion.
The new ER will be conveniently located next to the MercyCare Marion clinic. This will be the second off-site, hospital-based extension of Mercy’s Emergency Department. Mercy’s Hiawatha emergency location opened in 2020 and was the first ER in Iowa available outside of a hospital-based setting. Public and patient response to the Hiawatha location has been extremely positive.
“The new Marion ER location reflects our commitment to adjusting how we provide care based on what is best for the community,” said Dr. Timothy Quinn, Mercy president and CEO. “We’re being responsive to what patients are telling us they want for healthcare services. Marion is the perfect location for us to expand; the new ER location will provide easier access to a growing community with the major access points of highways 151 and 13 nearby.”
Mercy officials say the new Marion ER location is the result of extensive consumer research and multi-year planning. The development is in response to the changes within the community and the need for more capacity. Building another off-site ER location also helps the hospital’s main Emergency Department, which has seen growth and was facing the prospect of having to expand. Plus, this model allows Mercy to locate services closer to patients for their most emergent needs, rather than expanding one site at the hospital.
“We continue to see more ER patients than any other provider of emergency services in Linn County, and building on that experience is exciting,” said Dr. Matthew Aucutt, medical director, Mercy Emergency Services. “We are pleased to provide a convenient, high-quality option for life-saving care for residents in and around Marion.”
The new Marion location will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and will offer on-site radiology and lab services. Like the Mercy Hiawatha ED, patients requiring additional hospital intervention will be transferred free of charge to Mercy’s downtown location based on well-developed protocols and in partnership with local ambulance services.
The Marion ER is anticipated to open in late 2024. Existing staff will support this extended service at the new location, and Mercy also plans to add additional staffing to provide the highest level of care.
Mercy is partnering with Ryan Companies US, Inc. for construction and Ryan A+E, Inc. for the design of the new facility.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Groundbreaking for Mercy’s new Marion Emergency Dept.
When: 1 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 17
Where: 999 35th Street, Marion, IA (next to MercyCare Marion)
Who: The public is invited
