Mercy Medical returns home

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - When Mercy Home Medical Equipment in January moved to a new 10,000-square-foot location at Mercy Medical Center, it was a homecoming for the provider. Mercy Home Medical, which is owned by Mercy Medical Center, was originally located on the hospital's campus. But several years ago, after the provider outgrew that location and there were no other spaces available at the medical center, Mercy Home Medical moved off campus, said LeAnn Hansen, manager. Now, Mercy Home Medical's back in a big way. The provider inhabits the first floor of the medical center's central medical building, increasing its visibility. Moreover, it added 4,000 square feet to its footprint, Hansen said. "The showroom is six times larger," she said. "We can dig into retail a little deeper by carrying two or three of each item. Before, we had to show customers the catalogue and place orders." Additionally, the new location allows Mercy Home Medical to take better advantage of its relationship with the medical center, especially for discharge planning, Hansen said. Over the past decade, Mercy Home Medical has enjoyed consistent growth serving Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. During that time, the provider has doubled its staff, which includes respiratory therapists. Mercy Home Medical plans to prime itself for future growth by ratcheting up its marketing efforts, something that's been lost in the shuffle, lately, Hansen said. "We need to keep our name out there," she said. "We need to send out flyers. We need to make personal visits to clinics."