Historical Profile of Mercy Hospital and Mercy Health Partners

This historical summary of Mercy Hospital only hints at the intermingling of time and human events that mark the hospital’s life; physicians hurrying to bedsides at night; Sisters of Mercy dispensing comfort in starched, white patient wards; the Mercy School of Nursing blossoming then closing, leaving a sterling legacy of care; Volunteers raising friends and funds for the countless men and women who came then left this world all within the walls of Mercy Hospital. Those experiences still live within the history of our Mercy Hospital.

Mercy is our region’s premier faith-based healthcare institution. Operating under the auspices of Catholic Healthcare Partners; Mercy adheres to Core Values of Compassion, Human Dignity, Excellence, Justice, Sacredness of Life and Service.

Mercy’s history continues growing deeper into the life of our community. Beginning over 100 years ago, several key events enabled the Hospital to maintain its medical leadership and Catholic heritage continue modernization and embrace the healthcare needs of the regional community of Northeastern Pennsylvania, including those of the poor and underserved.

In 1898, with area doctors, the Sisters of Mercy started a hospital from their home base at St. Mary’s Convent in south Wilkes-Barre. The Haines residence on Hanover Street was purchased for $19,000, raised in the community, and converted into the 55-bed Mercy Hospital. Mercy Wilkes-Barre was sold in late 2005.

In 1917, the Most Rev. Michael J. Hoban, then Bishop of Scranton, requested that the Sisters come to Scranton. The former Dr. Reed Burns Surgical Hospital, a 35-bed institution, was purchased and began as Mercy Hospital with $10 for operating funds.

In 1979, Mercy Hospital, Scranton unveiled a $47 million facility expansion.

In 1989, Mercy joined Mercy Health System in Cincinnati.

In 1990, Mercy took over Nanticoke State General Hospital. The facility, renamed Mercy Special Care Hospital, became licensed as a long-term acute care facility in 1993.

In 1995, Mercy Health Partners was formed as the Northeast Region of the Mercy Health System. In 1997, Mercy Health System evolved into Catholic Healthcare Partners. Five Catholic organizations co-sponsor Catholic Healthcare Partners: the Sisters of Mercy, South Central Community; Sisters of Mercy, Mid-Atlantic Community; Sisters of the Humility of Mary; the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor and Covenant Health Systems.


Today Mercy includes - Mercy Hospital, Scranton and Mercy Special Care Hospital, Nanticoke (Long-Term Acute Care Hospital).







Outstanding Services Include:

Mercy Quality - Mercy was named one of the Top 50 Hospitals in the United States by Healthgrades for 2008.

Mercy’s Heart Program pioneered heart care in Northeastern Pennsylvania in 1965. This world-class program was named a Thomson-Reuters Top 100 Hospital for Cardiovascular Care for four consecutive years. Mercy’s heart program is comprehensive and includes emergency protocols, cardiac catheterization, cardiac surgery and cardiac rehabilitation.

The Hip & Knee Orthopaedic Institute at Mercy Hospital is designed to positively influence the process of patient care before, during and after joint replacement surgery.

Mercy Cancer Center has led our region’s fight against cancer for nearly 50 years. Accredited by The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, Mercy’s Cancer Program has earned their Outstanding Achievement Award. This program is a partnership between Mercy Hospital and the excellent physicians at Radiation Medicine Association of Scranton - RAMAS. Together they have partnered to create NROC – Northeast Regional Oncology Centers. The comprehensive cancer program at Mercy involves primary care physicians, surgeons, pathologists, radiation and medical oncologists, tumor registrars at the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute (NRCI) and both professional and community educators.

Mercy Home Health provides a full-range of specialized care and support services to adults in the comfort of their own homes.

Mercy Hospice, our region’s only faith-based hospice, offers comfort-oriented, rather than curative treatment, of people with life-limiting illnesses.

For additional information visit Mercy’s website at www.mercyhealthpartners.com.