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It’s official: St. Anthony’s Medical Center is now Mercy Hospital South.

The new name officially took effect Monday, Oct. 1. The hospital’s sign was draped the same day with a banner with the new name.

It is the most recognizable of many changes taking effect at the hospital with its acquisition earlier this year by Mercy.

Other changes taking effect include moving all services and information provided by stanthonysmedcenter.com to mercy.net, moving to Mercy’s electronic health record system and changing employee uniforms to the M-wear worn by staff at other Mercy locations. Most of the changes took effect Oct. 1, but the uniforms were switched out Sept. 24.

The changes also include the addition of a Mercy Kids emergency room. Mercy Kids pediatricians and pediatric-trained nurses will staff the Mercy Kids ER at Mercy Hospital South, along with child-life specialists, who will help children overcome their fear, reduce their anxiety and better understand their treatment, according to a news release. The Mercy Kids ER will also feature respiratory therapists for patients with breathing issues, specialized equipment designed for children, its own waiting and triage space, six treatment rooms designed with children in mind and imaging services. Parents can schedule any necessary follow-up visits with a nearby Mercy Kids pediatric specialist.

“One of the major benefits to affiliating with Mercy is our ability to expand and improve the care and services we provide our community,” said Sean Hogan, president of Mercy Hospital South. “Our community let us know they want better access to pediatric care. The Mercy Kids ER and Mercy Kids pediatricians greatly improve that access.

“To be able to provide these and other additional services while continuing the shared Catholic mission of St. Anthony’s and Mercy was the driving force for the affiliation. This is what our community can expect from us under our united ministry and Mercy name.”

The Mercy South Emergency Department will care for children 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The Mercy Kids ER at Mercy Hospital South will be open every day from noon to midnight on weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. Any children arriving for treatment outside of the Mercy Kids ER hours will receive care from pediatric-trained providers in the regular emergency department, which includes a Level 2 Trauma Center.