With COVID-19 changing the way medical facilities have to operate as well as the needs of medical patients, one area clinic that had been an Urgent Care facility since opening in 2017, then transitioned to a COVID-exclusive facility, then back to Urgent Care, is making yet another change.

The Mercy Urgent Care facility in Hiawatha is transforming its services into 24-hour Emergency Room care, according to KWWL.

It will reportedly be the state's first emergency care facility outside an actual hospital and it's located at 1195 Boyson Rd. in Hiawatha. Mercy officials say the addition to its emergency room operations will help expand its operations and open up more space for services. Mercy Emergency Services director Matthew Aucutt was quoted as saying to KWWL, "Mercy sees more ER patients than any other provider of emergency services in Linn County and we’ve seen continued growth".

The new location, which is now open, will be comprised of current Mercy hospital staff members and additional staff is expected to be added in the future. The convenience of having this location serve their emergency needs closer than a trip downtown will benefit many patients when these services are needed, which hopefully isn't often.

Read more below about the new changes at Mercy.

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