PITTSBURG — Local and hospital dignitaries celebrated the newly christened Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg Wednesday morning, according to the Pittsburg Morning Sun.
Based in St. Louis, Mo., Mercy Hospitals already has a presence in Joplin, of which the new Pittsburg facility will be a part.
Mercy CEO Steve Mackin said he hopes to make the Pittsburg hospital a care hub for southeast Kansas, expanding and revitalizing existing services over the next two years.
This news comes on the heels of Freeman’s announcement to build a brand-new facility in Frontenac over the next couple of years, according to the Sun.
Freeman and Mercy have long been neighbors in Joplin, Mackin said, adding that he sees no reason why that cordial relationship will not continue in Pittsburg.
In his remarks during the ceremony, former Pittsburg Hospital board president Blake Benson said that the days of a community without a hospital are numbered, the Sun reported.
