Mercy Hospital South ED Renovation and Expansion 

The BSA team lead architecture, interior design, and planning services for an emergency department expansion and renovation at Mercy Hospital South that would ultimately enhance the existing Level II Emergency Trauma Center and create a more efficient, flexible environment for emergency care. 

The existing emergency department presented significant planning challenges, including tight circulation, limited staff maneuverability, and accessibility constraints. The design team rethought the department’s organization and expanded the existing long and narrow service core to create more space for staff, patients, and clinical operations. Rather than simply adding space, the BSA team focused on how the department needed to function. 

BSA sought to understand how people move through the department and how the physical environment can support clinical decision-making.  Working closely with an emergency department physician, the team studied patient movement, staff workflows, and critical points in the care process to develop a more intuitive operational diagram. 

Now, staff have greater maneuverability, and there are clearer relationships between treatment, support, triage, and patient-facing spaces. There is a fundamentally different experience for staff and patients. 

The project also presented a unique branding challenge. Mercy was expanding its presence into an acquired campus that had not originally been designed by the health system. BSA helped bring the existing facility into alignment with Mercy’s established design standards and brand while ensuring the renovated environment felt cohesive with the campus and authentically part of Mercy. 

Planning for Flexibility and Resilience 

The planning strategy also allows spaces to adapt as patient needs change. Acuity pods support behavioral health, trauma, intermediate, ICU, and observation care, with select observation spaces designed to convert to operational rooms when demand increases. 

Flexibility and resilience were central to the planning approach. Pandemic-ready pods incorporate 100% outside air to support infection control, while future-ready infrastructure allows the department to respond to changing clinical demands. 

The project also extends beyond the building. A reimagined site plan supports Mercy’s Master Plan vision through updated traffic patterns and dedicated parking, improving access to the campus and the emergency department. 

Aligning Vision, Budget, and Operations 

Early project estimates revealed a gap between the project vision and available budget. The team responded with collaborative scope and budget alignment sessions, working closely with stakeholders to identify practical solutions while protecting the project’s most important clinical and operational priorities. 

The resulting design brings together three central goals: transforming an existing campus to reflect the Mercy brand, creating a clear and efficient operational flow, and developing a flexible emergency department capable of responding to changing patient and community needs. 

This complex expansion represents a transformative investment in emergency and behavioral health care delivery at Mercy Hospital South. 

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