Baptist Health to mark centennial by giving back to its communities
Jan. 25—CORBIN — Baptist Health will mark its centennial in 2024 with 100 days of Caring — giving back to its communities with acts of service, health screenings and career exploration.
Since opening its doors in November 1924, Baptist Health (which began as Kentucky Baptist Hospital) has expanded to nine hospitals and more than 2,700 licensed beds, reaching nearly 75 percent of Kentucky residents and a wide swath of southern Indiana.
"Persistence and the desire to improve the health of their neighbors and communities were key drivers in the grassroots effort to open the state's first Baptist-affiliated hospital," said Gerard Colman, Baptist Health CEO. "From the beginning, the vision was to branch out from Louisville to serve other areas of the state with modern facilities, skilled physicians and staff, which we fulfilled.
"While medicine and healthcare have changed dramatically since those early days, what has not changed is the spirit and drive that propels the Baptist Health vision of growth and improving the health of the communities it serves."
"Our healthcare organization is dedicated to giving back to the community we serve. By fostering health education, community outreach, and wellness initiatives, we aim to enhance the overall well-being of our neighbors and create a healthier, more vibrant community for everyone," said Anthony Powers, Baptist Health Corbin President.
Toward that end, as its 100th anniversary "gift" to its community, each hospital will focus on a healthcare-related topic each month, with a corresponding activity. The activities are tied to recognized community needs or removing barriers to healthcare access.
Community projects
January — maternal health — diaper and baby supply drive
February — heart health — screenings
March — colon cancer — screenings and risk assessment
April — barriers to health/food insecurity — food drive
May — stroke — awareness events
June — healthcare career exploration — education and experience
July — neighborhood cleanup efforts
August — orthopedics — screenings (falls prevention and improving balance)
September — behavioral health — awareness events
October — preventive care — flu shots
November — lung cancer — screenings
December — blood drives
In the beginning....
Early fundraising efforts were slowed by World War I and the Spanish flu epidemic, leading to an 18-year gap between initial talks about building the Kentucky Baptist Hospital and the 1924 ribbon cutting. But those spearheading the drive were persistent in raising half of the $600,000 outlay for the building and land.
Baptist Health now has hospitals in Louisville, Paducah, Elizabethtown, Lexington, Richmond, Corbin and La Grange in Kentucky plus New Albany, Indiana, and a joint venture hospital in Madisonville, Kentucky. The health system employs more than 23,000 people in Kentucky and surrounding states with annual revenue of $4 billion.
The full-spectrum health system encompasses more than 2,700 licensed hospital beds, some 3,000 employed and independent physicians, more than 450 points of care in 75 Kentucky counties, seven counties in Illinois, six counties in Southern Indiana and two counties in Tennessee, including: outpatient facilities, physician practices and services, urgent care and retail-based clinics; outpatient diagnostic and surgery centers; home care; occupational medicine and physical therapy clinics; and a fitness center.
Major new facilities expected to open this year include the Hamburg campus in Lexington, a healthplex in Elizabethtown, a 40-bed rehabilitation joint venture hospital in Louisville and a central pharmacy in La Grange.
Baptist Health's growing physician network, Baptist Health Medical Group, has more than 1,750 employed providers, including approximately 825 physicians and 930 advanced practice clinicians. The Medical Group offers care in 78 specialties.
In addition to physician practices, Baptist Health Medical Group includes Virtual Care (telehealth) and occupational medicine, sports medicine and physical therapy clinics. The Medical Group also has a network of Urgent Care locations and two free-standing, full-service emergency and walk-in clinics, Baptist Health ER & Urgent Care, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Jeffersontown, Kentucky.
About Baptist Health Corbin's history
In late July 1986, Baptist Regional Medical Center, which operated out of the old Corbin Municipal Hospital on Bishop Street, moved to a new facility on Cumberland Falls Highway. Three sites had been considered for the relocation and, after much debate, Whitley County was chosen.
Patients were brought by ambulance from Southeast Kentucky Baptist Hospital to the relocated medical center. The new facility was spacious and allowed for an increase in the number of beds — unlike the former space, which was leased and landlocked, leaving no room for expansion.
To build the new 210-bed hospital, more than 160,000 tons of earth were moved for construction of the $32 million facility.
The new space enabled multiple services to be added over the years, including magnetic resonance imaging, Neonatal Intensive Care units for newborns who require extra care, laser surgery, women's health services at the Women's Health Care Center, and help for emotional problems and addictions through the Trillium Center.
"Quality close to home" was the medical center's mission statement. In 2001, the center became the first hospital to win the Governor's Gold Quality Award, given to companies for their public service work.
Baptist Regional expanded its facilities several times, including the addition of an emergency department and the opening of a Critical Care unit and Outpatient Surgery Center.
Off-site facilities also opened, such as Baptists Physicians Southeast, allowing for many more physician services, such as pulmonary, transfusion, and psychiatry for adults and adolescents.
In 2012, the hospital changed its name to Baptist Health Corbin as part of a systemwide rebranding effort.
Today, Baptist Health Corbin is a 273-bed, acute care facility providing a wide variety of healthcare services to residents of Whitley, Knox, Laurel, Bell, Clay, McCreary counties in Kentucky and Harlan and Campbell counties in Tennessee.
