Children's Mercy Hospital - The Hospital

The Hospital

The 241 bed hospital is in Downtown KCMO across from Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill. There are outpatient clinics in midtown and in suburban Johnson County, Kansas and outreach clinics in outlying communities. Children from six states are regularly served by Children's Mercy.

The Significant Dates, according to the Children's Mercy Website are as follows:

1897: Free Bed Fund Association of Sick, Crippled, Deformed and Ruptured Children opened its doors with one bed on June 24.

Early 1900s: Four Deaf women admitted as nursing students: May Paxton, Marion Finch, Lillie Speaker, and Emma Brewing.

1901: Central Governing Board of the Free Bed Fund approves the Mercy name.

1904: Dr. Robert Schauffler was the first male physician allowed to practice at the hospital. Officially called Mercy Hospital and opens with five beds at 414 Highland Avenue. Only offered maternity and pediatric services. Grew to 27 beds by 1906.

1913: Alice Berry Graham dies.

1914: Hospital is deeded 2 acres (8,100 m2) of land at Independence and Woodland avenues for new facility.

1916: Children's Mercy Hospital opens at Independence and Woodland on November 27. 59 patients moved from Highland location. $375,000 raised between 1915-1916 to construct building. Serves as home for Children's Mercy until 1970.

1917: The Kansas City Board of Education began supporting a teaching staff so patients requiring a prolonged stay at the hospital could continue their education. A bedside or classroom teacher has been provided during the school year ever since.

1922: Children's Mercy celebrates its 25th anniversary.

1933: Katharine Berry Richardson dies.

1933: Elizabeth Martin, RN, becomes supervisor of the hospital and oversees its operations for the next 30 years.

1948: Hospital dismantles isolation wards.

1956: Dr. Wayne Hart begins work as hospital's first medical director, the only full-time physician practicing at Children's Mercy. His first assignment was to establish a residency program with the University of Kansas.

1964: An elementary school at 351 South Park is dedicated to the memory of co-founder Katharine Berry Richardson.

1968: Groundbreaking for the hospital at its current location, 2401 Gillham Road, on Hospital Hill.

1970: Hospital staff moves 39 children to the hospital's Gillham location on December 17.

1975: Adolescent Medicine Clinic opens to serve the unique medical and psychosocial needs of pre-teen and teen-age patients.

1985: The Pediatric Care Center moves to the Diagnostic and Treatment Center adjacent to the hospital. It is the first clinic to move off-site, signaling the need for more room. Today, the PCC is back on Hospital Hill and the Adolescent Clinic is at 46th and Paseo.

1992: Ground broken for expansion of the Children's Mercy system with the addition of an outpatient center and a patient tower at the Hospital Hill location. Centennial Campaign fund-raising effort begins: $68 million raised in two years.

1993: Based on the knowledge that many children get well faster at home, Children's Home Care begins to provide care for children in the comfort of their homes.

1995: Five-story Hall Family Outpatient Center opens with 21 pediatric specialty clinics; has about 150,000 patient visits in first year. Children's Mercy purchases land in Overland Park for the development of Children's Mercy South, a smaller version of the existing hospital without intensive care units or an emergency room.

1996: Seven-story Herman and Helen Sutherland Outpatient Tower opens, allowing the hospital to enhance the patient- and family-friendly environment of the hospital, providing parent beds in rooms and a more comfortable atmosphere.

1996: Established Family Health Partners, a non-profit HMO providing health care services to the medically vulnerable and uninsured through the State of Missouri's MC+ program.

1997: A year-long centennial celebration is underway. Children's Mercy named one of the top children's hospitals in the country by Child magazine. Children's Mercy South opens in Overland Park in October.

2000: Staff and patients move into a new patient tower, the Paul and Betty Henson Patient Tower, a complement to the Sutherland Tower. Combined, the towers provide updated, private rooms to most Children's Mercy patients and families, as well as other features.

2001: The public portion of a $50 million fund-raising drive begins to support the Children's Mercy Research Vision, a plan to improve the lives of children through discoveries from world-class researchers working at Children's Mercy. Already, about $26 million has been raised. Expected completion of the "Discovering Tomorrow" campaign in 2002.

2001: A 10-year expansion plan, with building construction around $120 million is announced. Plans include new outpatient, inpatient and research space at the Hospital Hill campus, as well as new inpatient and outpatient buildings at Children's Mercy South.

2003: Named one of the Top 10 Children's Hospitals in America by Child magazine

2003: Awarded Magnet designation for nursing excellence, the first hospital in Missouri or Kansas and just the third children's hospital to achieve this honor from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

2003: In response to requests by community pediatricians and residents, work begins in Children's Mercy Northland, an urgent care center and specialty clinic in the north part of the metropolitan area.

2003: Pediatric Research Center opens in 32,000 square feet (3,000 m2) on top two floors of the new Clinic and Research Building on Hospital Hill.

2004: Primary Care Center opens in new Clinic and Research Building. This combines primary care clinics that had previously operated on Main Street and Paseo Boulevard. Teen Clinic (formerly Adolescent Clinic) moves to Paseo location.

2004: Children's Mercy South opens new patient unit and expanded urgent care center and begins remodeling for expanded outpatient clinics. New cafe opens.

2012: Children's Mercy East opens. Clinics include Cardiology, ENT, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hearing and Speech, Neurology, Orthopedics, Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Medicine.

2012: The Elizabeth Ann Hall Patient Tower opens on the Main Campus. The seven story addition includes the Elizabeth J. Ferrell Fetal Health Center, expanded Cancer Center, an expansion of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and the Lisa Barth Interfaith Chapel and Garden, which will include a library, family gathering room, outdoor garden and more.