Our Solution

The Mercer County Hospital Governing Board and the Mercer County Board haveapproved a $10.5 million facility renovation project, to be completed in several phases. This solution was selected because it is cost-effective and addresses the needs of both the hospital and the community. This design philosophy makes the facility accessible to patients; reconfigures services that relate in purpose; creates distinct traffic patterns that separate staff, patients, and visitors; and complies with HIPAA regulations that ensure patient privacy, especially with all single-patient rooms. The hospital will make improvements in the following areas:

Modernize the facility:

• Upgrade and replace heating, cooling, and mechanical systems to meet state codes. (These upgrades will also include modifications both architecturally and electrically in those identified areas. Alone, this portion of the project estimates at $3.8 million.)
• Create separate entrances for emergency vehicles and Mobile Units.
• Construct a covered bay for mobile technology.

Improve patient accessibility, privacy, and comfort:

• Construct a new, covered entrance to protect patients from inclement weather.
• Increase parking space close to the main entrance for visitors.
• Expand the front of the facility to create a central patient entrance.
• Locate an information desk at the entrance for reception, questions, and directions.
• Expand the front of the facility to create space for a central registration area, with separate cubicles to assure privacy and confidentiality.
• Construct two waiting areas to separate people waiting for an outpatient procedure from those waiting for emergency services, thereby reducing the possibility for the spread of infection.
• Relocate non-patient care areas away from patient care areas to allow for easier access and a more patient-friendly environment.

Update the delivery of healthcare:

• Reconfigure outpatient areas to provide expansion for Laboratory, Radiology, Physical Therapy, and Cardiopulmonary departments, including some waiting areas within departments.
• Convert to all single-patient rooms.
• Redesign the nursing station to accommodate patient and visitor flow, allow more privacy, and increase viewing of all areas within the unit by nursing staff.

Keep pace with communications technology:

• Expand conference room facilities to accommodate the increased use of conferencing for MCH and community groups.

Enhance Auxiliary proceeds:

• Construct a new gift shop positioned for maximum visitor traffic.

The project will have several phases:

• Upgrading and replacing heating, cooling, and mechanical systems.
• Expansion of the front of the facility to allow for a central entrance and improved registration area.
• Expansion of outpatient service areas, such as Radiology, Laboratory, and Physical Therapy.
• Reconfiguration of the outpatient areas along the front of the building.
• Relocation of the non-patient care areas, such as Administration and Business Office.
• Relocation of the medical clinic to create space for the planned expansion of physicians' practices, and improve accessibility and visibility of various locations for patients.
• Conversion to all single-patient rooms.
• Creation of additional parking space.

Completing the project will provide MCH with the opportunity to consider adding in the future the following services:

• Cardiac Rehab
• Advanced Imaging Technology
• Sleep Lab
• Additional Medical Sub-specialty Clinic