Mercy Health – Springfield leadership and local officials broke ground yesterday on the new front entrance to Urbana Hospital.

“The new entrance represents a significant improvement to the hospital. It allows for better patient access, especially for outpatients and patients with limited mobility, and improves the drop-off and discharge process,” said Jamie Houseman, Urbana Hospital President.

Currently outpatients must register in the emergency department, which is a set of stairs or elevator ride down from the front entrance. This new entrance will allow patients to enter and register in the same place and better separate outpatients from critical patients. The new entrance will be covered and have automatic sliding doors allowing for protection from the elements and improved wheelchair access.

Mercy Health anticipates all or most of the cost of the improvement to be funded by donors and has already raised over $800,000 for the renovation project. McCall Sharp Architecture designed the entrance and Link Construction will build it.

These latest improvements at the hospital follow 2017’s $3 million renovation and service expansion project that included:

  • Building a 10-bed senior behavioral health unit
  • Recruitment of an orthopedic surgeon and two general surgeons, which has led to a significant increase in surgery volumes
  • Doubling of the MRI service capability from two to four days weekly
  • Internal renovations to modernize the facility

Urbana Hospital is located at 904 Scioto St., Urbana, OH 43078.