BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. — UofL Health opened a new hospital Monday in one of Kentucky's most populous and underserved communities.
UofL Health – South Hospital is located at 1903 Hebron Lane in Bullitt County, Ky. Bullitt County is Kentucky's 10th most populous county and was previously the largest county without an inpatient hospital.
Residents were invited to a community breakfast and open house prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. The hospital will begin accepting its first inpatients Monday afternoon.
“Expanding access to quality affordable health care is a priority for our administration,” Governor Andy Beshear said. “The investments we have made in our health care industry help give our families peace of mind and make Kentucky a safer, healthier place to call home.”
The $78 million facility houses 40 inpatient beds as well as space for an additional 20 beds. The hospital has a 10-bed intensive care unit, state-of-the-art pharmacy, laboratory, sterile processing areas and increased surgical suites for inpatient and outpatient procedures.
“When access is improved, health is improved and that is why UofL Health is investing in Bullitt County,” Tom Miller, UofL Health CEO, said. “Our mission is to transform the health of our communities and this hospital allows us to serve more patients with world-class and transformative care.”
The hospital will also provide enhanced heart care services including cardiac and vascular catheterization labs and STEMI Network for faster treatment of acute heart attacks, expanded emergency capabilities including a "fast track" area for quicker treatment and discharge, and expanded cardiopulmonary services.
"This is a great day, a great day for us, a great day for Bullitt County," Dorie Shelburne, CEO of UofL Health – South Hospital, said. "We are committed, as UofL Health, to bring access to underserved areas and Bullitt County is the largest county in the state without a hospital -- without an inpatient hospital -- so patients in this county are having to travel outside of their communities to be able to provide or to get inpatient care and today that all changes."
To support the expanded care more than 150 new employees have joined the team, including nursing and ancillary positions.
South Hospital anticipates serving patients from Bullitt, Spencer, Nelson, Meade, Hardin counties, along with southern Jefferson County. With the opening of South Hospital, UofL Health now includes nine hospitals across the system.
UofL officials say that though the hospital is officially opening Monday, the emergency department has remained open during construction.
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