CHW - Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield

The people of Bakersfield and the surrounding area are well served by two facilities that represent the visionary mission of Catholic Healthcare West. Together, Mercy and Mercy Southwest Hospitals dedicate 267 beds, 1,202 employees, and 556 active medical staff to providing top-quality medical care to the community, regardless of economic status. This proud tradition unites an honorable history with a commitment to innovation.

Founded in 1910, our downtown facility, 194-bed Mercy Hospital reflects the values of the Sisters of Mercy. That compassionate and comprehensive care still continues to this day, with "the Spirit of Mercy" nurtured by our family of employees. Situated in downtown Bakersfield, Mercy Hospital is licensed for 144 acute care beds, including a 31-bed medical unit, a 31-bed surgical unit, a 31-bed telemetry unit, a 29-bed guarded care unit and a 20-bed adult ICU. The full range of medical and surgical services also includes; a 14-station, Level II Base-Station Emergency Department; six surgical suites; Post Anesthesia Care Unit; Ambulatory and Prep Units; Outpatient Surgery and Outpatient GI laboratory.

Mercy Southwest Hospital has quickly established a similar reputation for superior health care, since opening in 1992. This 75-bed facility adjacent to California State University, includes our respected Family Birth Center, which features an 18-bed Labor Delivery Recovery Postpartum Unit (LDRP), an 11-bed Postpartum Unit, a 9-bed NICU. Family Birth Center offers expectant mothers a warm, home-like setting with bedroom suites for labor, delivery and recovery. For several years running, Mercy Southwest Family Birth Center has been honored by the Bakersfield Californian as the "Best place in Bakersfield to have a baby." Mercy Southwest also includes a 29-bed Medical and Surgical Unit. Expanding in January 2005, Mercy Southwest Hospital is now the only full Acute Care hospital in its area with a new 14-bed Level II Emergency Department, a new 8-bed ICU along with 10 new Tele beds. Our Mercy Southwest expansion also included two new operating rooms, bringing the total for the facility to six.

One of the new operating rooms is a state-of-the-art Minimally Invasive Surgical video suite. The technology offers patients the opportunity for surgery with less scaring and quicker recovery. Complete with all digital video monitors and a plasma screen for wide viewing, this suite is the only one available between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

At both locations, we've offered our patients the advantages of numerous medical and technological advances. In doing so, we have furthered the careers of many of our employees, who gain valuable experience from participating in our forward-thinking programs.