Mercy Hospital South placed the highest steel beam of its new Emergency Department expansion on Aug. 27 in a “topping out ceremony” that drew Mercy employees and local leaders. The beam was signed by Mercy caregivers and staff and lifted to the highest point of the construction site.

The groundbreaking for the $75 million expansion took place in September 2024; at that time, it was expected that construction would be finished in late 2027. 

According to Mercy South, the hospital has averaged more than 200 emergency patients per day and 6,300 patients per month — approximately 900 more patients per month than last fiscal year. There has been a significant increase in patients arriving by ground ambulance, as well as by air; more patients were received by helicopter in July than ever before. This, in part, is due to Mercy South’s stroke program, the busiest stroke center in the St. Louis region (including the Metro East), which now cares for more stroke patients than any other hospital in Missouri.

Demand for emergency services is expected to increase even more with the recent closure of St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital. The anticipated impact of Medicaid cuts will also impact emergency room numbers, per Mercy, as patients who lose their coverage often choose to forgo regular doctor visits due to steep prices, seeking care in the Emergency Department instead.

Mercy’s Emergency Department  expansion was originally ordered to accommodate more patients, as well as offer amenities like a mother’s room for staff and patients and a full bathroom for victims of sexual assault.

“I’m really excited for the community,” said Steve Mackin, Mercy’s chief executive officer. “They’re going to have a place that can heal you and get you back to your fullest potential.”