Our MercyOne Des Moines Story

In 1893, to provide access to much-needed hospital services and loving care in Des Moines, Mother Mary Baptist Martin and Father Michael Flavin set up a temporary location for Mercy Hospital with two private rooms and a ward for five patients. Two years later, Mercy Hospital opened its facility that was heralded as “a great institution of charity to stay with the city for all time.” Today, MercyOne Central Iowa is one of the largest medical centers in central Iowa, providing care to the Des Moines area and surrounding counties.

The education of women has always been a primary mission of the Sisters of Mercy. On April 17, 1899, the Mercy Des Moines School of Nursing formally opened, offering a two-year degree. Graduation exercises for seven students were held on June 17, 1901.

Mercy’s School of Medical Technology came alive in 1954, with a four-year program that combined liberal arts and medical technology in affiliation with Drake University.

To meet the needs of the Des Moines community, Mercy Clinics was developed in 1983. It opened its first Mercy Medical Clinic at Valley West Mall in 1983. Today, Mercy Clinics is central Iowa’s largest multi-specialty clinic system, operating more than 50 family practice, specialty, urgent care and pediatric clinics.         

The first Mercy emergency air transport took flight in November 1987. Today, MercyOne’s fleet of air ambulances are the fastest in Iowa. With a cruising speed of 180 mph, these helicopters provide rapid transport and expert care to the critically ill and injured across the state.

Also in 1987, the House of Mercy opened its doors in Des Moines as a comprehensive behavioral health center to provide high-quality, personalized care and making the community a healthier place by caring for individuals and families.

MercyOne and Iowa Heart Center integrated in 2008, combining the region’s foremost cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and vascular surgeons with Iowa’s leading cardiovascular hospital. Today, MercyOne Iowa Heart Center is the state’s largest provider of cardiovascular care.

Iowa’s first obstetrics emergency department was opened at Mercy in November 2016. Staffed by hospitalists available 24/7 basis for emergency pregnancy care, the MercyOne Women & Infants’ Center ensures patients are evaluated within 30 minutes of being admitted – helping provide mother and baby with a safe delivery.

The first center of its kind in Iowa, MercyOne Comfort Women’s Center opened in 2017, to offer care for women with a special focus on the health care needs of women in their prime. In one convenient location, women have access to comprehensive breast care through MercyOne Katzmann Breast Center, medical imaging and testing, internal medicine, mental health services and endocrinology.        

Read MercyOne’s full history

MercyOne Timeline