The dream of the once-promised stand-alone, brand new pediatric hospital in Springfield is on hold.
Mercy Southwest Missouri has no plans to build a new hospital, a Mercy Springfield spokesperson confirmed by email March 20. Instead, Children’s Mercy Kansas City will partner with Mercy Southwest Missouri to expand pediatric care, and will use Mercy’s main Springfield campus and facilities as part of that agreement.
Mercy Springfield Communities and Children’s Mercy Kansas City are not affiliated.
“We are welcoming Children’s Mercy Kansas City to bring enhanced specialty care to our region, and as plans take shape, they will use available space at Mercy Children’s Hospital on our campus, but their services are not exclusive to Mercy patients,” was the stance expressed in a statement from Mercy Springfield. “All patients are welcome.”
On March 19, Mercy abruptly ended a prior agreement with CoxHealth to bring much-needed extensive pediatric care to Springfield. The two hospital systems were searching for a third partner to bring a new, stand-alone pediatric hospital to the Queen City.
Instead, Mercy announced it was partnering with Children’s Mercy Kansas City. However, the hospital group’s plans no longer include a stand-alone pediatric hospital in Springfield. As the announcement is so fresh, Mercy and Children’s Mercy are working out details on how best to provide pediatric care in Springfield using Mercy’s Springfield campus.
As Mercy decided to partner with Children’s Mercy Kansas City, CoxHealth is exploring its options to offer more pediatric care in Springfield. The company said plans are still being developed.
“Given the unexpected nature of [Mercy Southwest Missouri’s] announcement, our team will work closely with the community to carefully consider the best options for the care of our children,” a CoxHealth spokesperson said in an email to the Springfield Daily Citizen.
“It is too early right now to say what that may entail, but our community can be assured that we will make decisions based on what is best for the children of our region.”
A statement from Children’s Mercy said the two hospital system were still working out details of the agreement.
“We’re excited to be collaborating with Mercy Hospital Springfield to expand pediatric services in the Springfield area so patients and families can stay close to home for specialty care,” Children’s Mercy said in a statement emailed to the Springfield Daily Citizen. “This is a new relationship, and many details are still being worked out.”
Children’s Mercy said it will announce further details of the agreement in the future.
