St. Louis-based Mercy health system has entered its second phase of planning to expand services in the Northwest Arkansas area, investing $500 million.
The second phase planning includes a state-of-the-art cancer facility, emergency department, expanding isolation rooms, new clinic locations, additional outpatient services, and "doubling the current number of primary care physicians and specialists," according to a July 19 press release.
"Phase two advances Mercy’s long-standing commitment to a growing Northwest Arkansas community and how we better serve patients in the way they want to experience personalized health care, close to home," said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Arkansas. "This is also a continuation of our dedication to low-cost, high-quality care, a value we have provided Arkansas families and businesses for decades."
The first phase of Mercy's expansion plan began in 2016, which added 1,000 new healthcare positions and built a 275,000-square-foot patient tower. The phase totaled out to $300 million.
Northwest Arkansas has been ranked sixth by the U.S. Census Bureau for "fastest growing mid-size metro area in the nation."