
Children's Mercy Hospital, founded in 1897, is recognised as one of the nation's top paediatric hospitals, offering comprehensive services to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions. The hospital provides compassionate care, with a focus on individualising the hospital environment to each child's needs. With locations in St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, Children's Mercy Hospital is committed to providing quality programs and services designed to support healthy childhoods and bring out the best in kids. The hospital also has a research institute with a dedicated clinical research space, contributing to advancements in pediatric care.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Children's Mercy Hospital |
| Locations | St. Louis, MO; Springfield, MO; Kansas City, MO; Kansas City, KS; St. Joseph, MO; Baltimore, MD |
| Services | Pediatric and adult primary care, emergency services, 30+ specialties, inpatient pediatric rehabilitation services, diagnosis and treatment of a full range of conditions, comprehensive testing services, compassionate care, epilepsy treatment, pediatric neurology, autism services, music therapy, sports medicine |
| Other | Not-for-profit hospital, free app for patients to connect with care team, Ronald McDonald House for families of hospitalized children |
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What You'll Learn

Child-friendly hospital experiences
Children's Mercy Hospital, founded in 1897, is committed to providing child-friendly hospital experiences. The hospital has grown from its humble beginnings, where Dr. Katharine Berry Richardson and her sister, Dr. Alice Berry Graham, rented beds in a small hospital to treat and care for children. Today, it is recognized as one of the nation's top pediatric hospitals, ranking number one in Missouri for the second consecutive year.
The hospital offers comprehensive services to diagnose and treat a full range of conditions, including compassionate care and a variety of treatment options. They also have a dedicated team of pediatric experts at the Mercy Kids Therapy and Development Center, who help children with neurodevelopmental conditions and those requiring post-surgical rehabilitation. The Mercy Kids Autism Center, part of the Development Center, serves families affected by autism spectrum disorders, offering diagnosis, assessment, and therapy interventions.
Mercy Children's Hospital in Springfield is Southwest Missouri's only full-service children's hospital. They offer nearly 60 pediatric subspecialists across more than 25 pediatric specialties, ensuring they meet the needs of every child. The hospital provides a range of pediatric specialty developmental and therapy services, including physical, occupational, respiratory, and speech therapy.
The Springfield location also houses the Ronald McDonald House, an 8,200-square-foot space for families of hospitalized children. Child life specialists focus on the psychosocial needs of both patients and their families, helping to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with hospitalization. They achieve this through medical and therapeutic play and distraction during medical procedures.
Additionally, the hospital has a dedicated pediatric emergency department, providing 24-hour emergency care with faster access and a safe space to protect children from potentially frightening situations in the adult ED. Mercy is committed to providing quality programs designed to bring out the best in kids and offers a free app, MyMercy, for patients to connect with their care team and manage their health.
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Individualized care plans
Mercy Children's Hospital is committed to providing individualized care plans for each child. The hospital offers a range of services, from treating common childhood ailments to addressing more serious concerns such as autism, heart defects, and cancer.
The hospital's approach to individualized care starts with its Mercy Kids Keys To Me® program. This initiative allows care providers to customize the hospital environment to meet each child's unique needs. For example, they can provide special accommodations for children who require them. The hospital also offers a 24/7 Mercy Kids Transport Team to initiate time-sensitive therapies and resuscitation as early as possible.
Mercy Children's Hospital also has a dedicated team of pediatric experts at the Mercy Kids Therapy and Development Center. This team helps children with neurodevelopmental conditions and post-surgical rehabilitation. The center includes the Mercy Kids Autism Center, which offers diagnosis, assessment, intensive applied behavior analysis (ABA), therapy interventions, and other treatment programs for older children and teens.
The hospital recognizes the importance of addressing the psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and their families. Child life specialists at Mercy work to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with hospitalization. They achieve this through medical and therapeutic play and distraction during medical procedures. Additionally, the hospital provides a range of pediatric specialty developmental and therapy services, including physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), respiratory therapy (RT), and speech therapy.
Mercy also offers a free app called MyMercy that enables patients and their families to connect with their care team, manage their health, and stay informed about their child's personalized care plan. This plan is developed in collaboration with compassionate clinical experts and the patient's physician to ensure seamless, focused care at every step.
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Pediatric specialty areas
Neonatology
Neonatology is a critical pediatric specialty that focuses on the care of newborn infants, especially those born prematurely or with birth defects, infections, or other complications. Neonatologists play a vital role in monitoring and treating infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and providing support during high-risk deliveries.
Pediatric Surgery
Pediatric surgeons at Mercy Hospital are trained to perform a wide range of procedures on patients of all ages. They address birth defects, serious wounds, transplantations, and more. These surgeons receive extensive training to gain proficiency in multiple surgical techniques, ensuring they can meet the diverse needs of their young patients.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
The pediatric emergency department at Mercy Hospital provides urgent care for children experiencing a range of conditions, including seizures, accidents, poisonings, and other unexpected health issues. The team's agility and adaptability are key to providing timely and effective treatment, regardless of the situation.
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
This specialty area focuses on the treatment of children with cancer and blood disorders. Pediatric hematologist-oncologists often form strong bonds with their patients due to the long-term nature of cancer treatment. They provide compassionate care and remain a part of their patients' lives even after treatment concludes.
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Pediatric infectious disease specialists at Mercy Hospital are dedicated to diagnosing, treating, and preventing infectious diseases in infants, children, and adolescents. They pay close attention to symptoms to identify illnesses like measles, rubella, and chickenpox, working to avoid potential complications and ensure the best outcomes for their young patients.
Pediatric Palliative Care
Pediatric palliative care is a vital specialty that supports children and their families facing life-threatening illnesses. This type of care begins at diagnosis and continues throughout treatment, aiming to ensure the highest quality of life. If a child's illness proves terminal, palliative care focuses on pain relief and increasing comfort during their remaining time.
Mercy Hospital's pediatric specialty areas reflect its commitment to providing comprehensive and individualized care for children, ensuring they receive the best possible treatment and support throughout their healthcare journey.
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Child life specialists
Therapeutic medical play is another valuable tool used by child life specialists. This approach allows children to express their emotions, cope with their fears, and better understand their medical situation. It provides a safe space for children to process their hospitalization and can even help reduce the need for sedation during procedures. Child life specialists may also accompany pediatric patients during medical procedures, offering relaxation techniques and guided imagery to further ease their anxiety.
At Mercy Children's Hospital, child life specialists also cater to the unique needs of each child. They offer personalized programs and services, such as pet therapy, to enhance the emotional, social, and physical well-being of young patients. Additionally, these specialists provide support to siblings and families, helping them navigate challenges such as the arrival of a new baby or the loss of a loved one.
The role of child life specialists extends beyond the bedside. They offer educational opportunities and internships to students pursuing a career in this field. Mercy Children's Hospital in Springfield, for example, provides a 600-hour internship for students in their final semester or those with a bachelor's degree in Child Life or a related discipline. This practical and theoretical learning opportunity is supervised by certified child life specialists.
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Compassionate care
At Mercy Children's Hospital, compassionate care is a priority. The hospital is committed to providing comprehensive services that address the full range of conditions and injuries, with a focus on individualized and compassionate treatment. This commitment extends to the Mercy Kids Therapy and Development Center, which helps children with neurodevelopmental conditions and those requiring post-surgical rehabilitation. The center also includes the Mercy Kids Autism Center, offering diagnosis, assessment, intensive applied behaviour analysis, therapy interventions, and treatment programs.
The hospital's Springfield location is the only full-service children's hospital in Southwest Missouri and is part of Mercy Kids, a network of pediatric services tailored to meet the diverse needs of children. The hospital offers a wide range of pediatric specialty services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, and speech therapy. It also boasts a dedicated pediatric emergency department, providing 24-hour emergency care with a safe and efficient drop-off route and entrance.
Mercy Children's Hospital recognizes the importance of supporting the psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and their families. Child life specialists are integral to this aspect of care, employing therapeutic play and distraction techniques to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with hospitalization. Additionally, the Springfield Ronald McDonald House, located within the hospital, provides a home-like environment for families of hospitalized children.
The hospital also offers the Mercy Kids Keys To Me® program, which allows caregivers to individualize the hospital environment to each child's unique needs. This program ensures that each child receives personalized attention and that their care plan is seamlessly coordinated between clinical experts and the child's physician. Mercy is dedicated to making sure that patients and their families have access to the resources they need, including the free MyMercy app, which facilitates easy communication with the care team and health management.
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Frequently asked questions
Mercy Hospital offers comprehensive services to diagnose and treat a full range of conditions. They offer compassionate care and are committed to providing price transparency to patients. Mercy Hospital has been nationally recognised as one of the nation's top paediatric hospitals.
Mercy Hospital offers a full range of services to support healthy childhoods, including pediatric specialty developmental and therapy services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, and speech therapy.
Mercy Hospital is committed to providing quality programs designed to bring out the best in kids. They offer comprehensive testing services to diagnose conditions and injuries.
Mercy Hospital employs a professional staff that develops partnerships with families to assure quality care. They believe that staff education is an important part of their programs' success, so professional development is ongoing for all staff, teachers, and administrators.
Mercy Hospital provides a safe and healthy environment for adults and children. Nutritious meals and snacks are provided, and all meals are served with silverware and non-disposable plates.

































