Mercy Hospital Aurora is a community hospital located at 500 Porter Avenue, Aurora, MO 65605, serving Lawrence County and the surrounding Ozarks region of southwestern Missouri. The hospital provides 24-hour emergency care, inpatient services with 20 staffed beds, obstetrics and maternity care, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation therapies, wound care, and outpatient infusion services. Aurora Community Hospital joined the Mercy health system in 2001, and 2019 renovations upgraded patient rooms and treatment areas throughout the facility. In fiscal year 2025, the hospital recorded 15,040 emergency department visits, 927 inpatient discharges, 838 total surgeries, and 29,578 outpatient visits.
Overview and Mercy System Affiliation
Mercy Hospital Aurora operates as part of Mercy, one of the 15 largest health systems in the United States and the top-ranked large system for patient experience by NRC Health, giving Lawrence County patients access to a comprehensive network of care that extends well beyond the local campus.
Mercy is a multi-state, faith-based, non-profit health system with 55 acute care and specialty hospitals across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, along with more than 1,000 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities. The system employs more than 5,000 physicians and advanced practitioners and over 50,000 caregivers. In fiscal year 2025, Mercy provided more than half a billion dollars in free care and other community benefits. For Aurora patients, Mercy membership means direct access to Mercy’s telemedicine center, Mercy Virtual, which enables virtual stroke and critical care specialist consultations without requiring patient transfer.
Mercy has been named one of the top five large U.S. health systems for four consecutive years by IBM Watson Health and has earned recognition in Becker’s Hospital Review’s “52 Great Health Systems to Know.” The American College of Cardiology recognized Mercy in the 2021 U.S. News and World Report “Best Hospitals” issue for its commitment to heart patient care. The Aurora hospital’s cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
Patients exploring other Mercy system hospitals in Missouri may find relevant context in related facility profiles within the drginasam.net healthcare directory, as Mercy operates multiple community hospitals in the state that share clinical protocols and telemedicine infrastructure with the Aurora campus.
History
Aurora Community Hospital joined Mercy in 2001, extending the faith-based health system’s presence into Lawrence County and giving the community access to Mercy’s integrated care network, electronic health record infrastructure, and specialist referral pathways.
The hospital has served the Aurora region for more than two decades under the Mercy name. The 2001 affiliation aligned the facility with Mercy’s broader mission of providing compassionate care consistent with its Catholic health tradition. In 2019, a renovation program upgraded patient rooms and clinical treatment areas throughout the hospital, modernizing the physical environment to support contemporary care delivery standards.
Mercy has been among the first health care organizations in the U.S. to implement a comprehensive, integrated electronic health record providing real-time, paperless access to patient information across all of its facilities. This means that when an Aurora patient is referred to a Mercy specialist in Springfield or elsewhere in the system, their entire medical history travels with them electronically, reducing duplicate testing and improving care coordination.
Emergency Care and Inpatient Services
Mercy Hospital Aurora operates a 24-hour emergency department and maintains 20 staffed inpatient beds serving Lawrence County residents who require acute hospital care without traveling to Springfield or Joplin.
The emergency department provides around-the-clock care for acute illness and injury. With 15,040 ED visits recorded in fiscal year 2025, the department manages a consistent and significant patient volume for a community hospital of its size. Telemedicine connectivity through Mercy Virtual enables the Aurora ED care team to access stroke specialists and critical care physicians remotely, using secure video and audio connections, without requiring immediate patient transfer for initial evaluation and clinical decision-making.
Inpatient care at the hospital covers medical and surgical recovery across 20 staffed beds. The hospital’s swing-bed program allows patients who have completed the acute phase of inpatient care to transition to skilled nursing or rehabilitation services without leaving the Aurora campus. This model is particularly valuable for elderly patients and those with limited transportation access, as it removes the disruption of a transfer to a separate facility during a vulnerable phase of recovery. IV treatments and wound care are also delivered through the swing-bed program to support complex recovery needs.
According to the American Hospital Association, swing-bed programs in rural community hospitals are associated with improved patient outcomes and higher patient satisfaction compared to inter-facility transfers for skilled nursing, primarily because patients maintain continuity with the same care team and remain close to family.
Visiting Specialist Services
Mercy Hospital Aurora hosts visiting specialists in general surgery, orthopedic hand surgery, endoscopy, pain management procedures, and sleep medicine, expanding specialist access for Lawrence County patients without requiring travel to larger urban centers.
For many rural and semi-rural communities, specialist access is one of the most significant healthcare equity challenges. By hosting visiting specialists on a rotating basis, Mercy Hospital Aurora allows patients to receive consultations, procedures, and follow-up care in their home community. This model reduces the travel burden for patients and families, improves appointment compliance, and supports continuity with local primary care providers.
Orthopedic hand surgery, endoscopy, and pain management procedure availability on the Aurora campus are particularly noteworthy given the agricultural character of Lawrence County, where hand and musculoskeletal injuries are common occupational risks and where chronic pain associated with physical labor is a prevalent patient concern. Sleep medicine access through the hospital’s sleep lab addresses the growing recognition of sleep disorders as a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, and mental health conditions.
Maternity Services — Mercy Birthplace
Mercy Birthplace at Aurora provides a private-room, homelike maternity environment with 24-hour obstetric services, offering Lawrence County families a trusted local option for childbirth without traveling to Springfield or Joplin.
The Mercy Birthplace program reflects Mercy’s approach to maternity care as a family-centered experience rather than a purely clinical event. Private rooms allow mothers and families to labor, deliver, and recover in a consistent, comfortable environment. The obstetric program operates around the clock, with physicians and nurses trained in obstetric care available at all times. Family medicine providers with obstetric training at the Mercy Clinic Family Medicine and Obstetrics Aurora practice support prenatal care and coordinate delivery planning with the hospital team.
Access to local maternity care is a meaningful health equity factor in rural communities. Research published in JAMA Network Open has shown that rural patients who must travel more than 30 miles for obstetric care experience higher rates of delayed prenatal care initiation and worse maternal outcomes compared to those who can access services locally. Mercy Birthplace’s presence in Aurora directly addresses this risk for Lawrence County mothers.
Diagnostic Imaging
Mercy Imaging Services Aurora provides a full range of diagnostic imaging on the Aurora campus including CT scans, MRIs, mammograms, X-rays, and ultrasounds, with 3D mammography and 16-slice CT technology available.
The imaging department supports both emergency and scheduled outpatient services, reducing the need for patients to travel to Springfield for routine diagnostic studies. 3D mammography, also known as digital breast tomosynthesis, produces more detailed breast tissue images than conventional 2D mammography and is associated with higher cancer detection rates and fewer false positives, according to the American Cancer Society. Its availability on the Aurora campus allows Lawrence County women to receive this higher-standard screening locally.
Sixteen-slice CT technology provides rapid, high-resolution cross-sectional imaging across multiple organ systems, supporting diagnosis for trauma, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and abdominal conditions in the emergency setting as well as outpatient oncology staging and follow-up. Nuclear medicine testing and stress testing are offered five days per week to support cardiology and pulmonary evaluation.
Rehabilitation Therapy and Wound Care
Mercy Therapy Services Aurora provides physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology for outpatient and swing-bed patients, with a comprehensive wound care program supporting complex wound management for Lawrence County patients.
Rehabilitation services at Mercy Hospital Aurora cover the full spectrum of therapy disciplines. Physical therapy addresses post-surgical recovery, musculoskeletal injury, fall prevention, and neurological rehabilitation. Occupational therapy focuses on restoring function for daily activities following illness, injury, or surgery. Speech pathology addresses swallowing disorders, communication difficulties, and cognitive communication impairments — a particularly important service for post-stroke patients and those recovering from neurological events.
The wound care program at Aurora provides advanced treatment for chronic wounds including diabetic foot ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, pressure injuries, and non-healing surgical wounds. Wound care access in a community hospital is a high-value service for rural populations, where diabetes prevalence and peripheral vascular disease rates tend to be higher than in urban areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects approximately 11% of adults in rural Missouri counties, making wound care and limb salvage services a critical component of community health infrastructure.
Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Mercy Hospital Aurora’s cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, providing structured recovery programs for patients with heart disease, heart failure, and chronic lung conditions.
Cardiac rehabilitation following a heart attack, heart surgery, or heart failure hospitalization is associated with significant reductions in mortality and rehospitalization rates. The American Heart Association identifies cardiac rehab as a Class I recommendation for eligible patients. AACVPR certification confirms that Mercy Aurora’s program meets established standards for clinical content, safety, staff qualifications, and outcome measurement. Pulmonary rehabilitation similarly improves quality of life, exercise tolerance, and hospitalization rates for patients with COPD and other chronic pulmonary conditions.
Patients from Lawrence County and surrounding communities seeking cardiac care within the Mercy system can also access Mercy’s cardiology specialists in Springfield and other regional centers through Mercy’s coordinated referral network when advanced interventional or surgical cardiac care is required.
Technology and Patient Access
Mercy Hospital Aurora uses the Mercy Meds electronic medication administration system and is connected to Mercy’s integrated electronic health record, with patient care management available through the free MyMercy app for appointments, results, and provider messaging.
The Mercy Meds system monitors medications and dosage through computerized, bar-coded technology, reducing medication administration errors and supporting nursing safety protocols. This system is part of Mercy’s broader investment in health information technology, which earned the health system “Most Wired” recognition from the American Hospital Association.
MyMercy, available as a free app for mobile devices or via web browser, allows patients to manage their care from home. Features include scheduling appointments, viewing test results, renewing prescriptions, messaging providers, and completing e-visits. Patients can contact the hospital directly at 417-678-2122 or find scheduling options at mercy.net.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 Porter Avenue, Aurora, MO 65605 |
| Phone | (417) 678-2122 |
| Hours | Open 24 hours daily |
| Staffed Beds | 20 |
| FY2025 ED Visits | 15,040 |
| FY2025 Inpatient Discharges | 927 |
| FY2025 Surgeries | 838 |
| FY2025 Outpatient Visits | 29,578 |
| Mercy System Join Date | 2001 |
| Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab | AACVPR Certified |
| Patient Portal | MyMercy app / mercy.net |
| System Affiliation | Mercy (one of the 15 largest U.S. health systems) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mercy Hospital Aurora located?
Mercy Hospital Aurora is at 500 Porter Avenue, Aurora, MO 65605. Phone: (417) 678-2122. The hospital is open 24 hours a day, every day.
Does Mercy Hospital Aurora have a 24-hour emergency room?
Yes. Mercy Hospital Aurora has a 24-hour emergency department that recorded 15,040 visits in FY2025. Telemedicine connections through Mercy Virtual allow virtual stroke and critical care specialist consultations without patient transfer.
What services does Mercy Hospital Aurora offer?
The hospital offers emergency care, inpatient services, Mercy Birthplace maternity care, visiting specialists (surgery, orthopedics, endoscopy, pain management, sleep medicine), diagnostic imaging, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, wound care, outpatient infusion, and rehabilitation therapy.
What is the swing-bed program at Mercy Hospital Aurora?
The swing-bed program allows patients to transition from acute inpatient care to skilled nursing or rehabilitation services without leaving Mercy Hospital Aurora. IV treatments and wound care are also provided through the program.
Is Mercy Hospital Aurora’s cardiac rehabilitation program certified?
Mercy Hospital Aurora’s cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).
When did Aurora Community Hospital join Mercy?
Mercy Hospital Aurora joined the Mercy health system in 2001, formerly operating as Aurora Community Hospital.
How do I schedule an appointment at Mercy Hospital Aurora?
Use the MyMercy app or visit mercy.net to schedule appointments, view test results, message providers, and manage your care. You can also call (417) 678-2122 directly.
