The construction boom in the metro continues and hospitals have a lot to do with that. Care centers across the area are growing and expanding to better serve their patients.

With a few ceremonial scoops of dirt, a $25 million renovation was officially underway Tuesday at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs. "All about responding to the needs of the patient," said Alegent Health CEO Wayne Sensor.

The addition will double the size of the intensive care unit rooms, which will allow Mercy Hospital to take better care of its patients.

"Not only does that support the technology that we need to care for you in ICU, but it also allows the family to stay over which 10 years ago wouldn't even have been allowed and today it's considered the gold standard in intensive care units," said Sensor.

Sheri Spichal, an Alegent employee, knows all about the family-friendly ICUs. Her father was hospitalized earlier this year.

"If he woke up when he couldn't communicate on the ventilator, my mom was still there, he could communicate with his eyes and it was just very important because even though he wasn't at home he was at ease because my mom was there."

Other new facilities include the still under construction Bellevue Medical Center, Lakeside Hospital, which opened in August 2004 and the renovation at Children’s Hospital.

It was completed early because Children's needed the space for their patients. The Specialty Pediatric Center will allow for outpatient care for children.

"We've seen about a nine to 10 percent growth in our volumes in our outpatient areas for our specialty centers each year over the last five, so we anticipate that will continue growing,” said Children’s Vanessa Walls.

In addition to all of the hospital renovations and additions, the University of Nebraska Medical Center breaks ground later this week on the College of Public Health. It will take a forward thinking approach to health, including prevention and solutions.