Guest column by Robert Ramey
Serving an extensive community of approximately 400,000 residents across ten central Kentucky
counties, Baptist Health Hardin is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the many families that
make up our region. With our 300-bed main hospital in Elizabethtown and the more than 50 outpatient
facilities located throughout our service area, we are laser-focused on offering comprehensive care that
is accessible to all. When the announcement of the BlueOval SK Battery Park occurred nearly two years ago, we immediately recognized that its creation of 5,000 new jobs would lead to an increase in the number of families in this area. A recently commissioned long-term economic impact study, executed by the Louisville-based consulting firm L.B. Schmidt & Associates on behalf of the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce, has substantiated this with data.
The study provides a wealth of vital information about our region and offers a glimpse of how the future
will likely unfold with the arrival of BlueOval SK, which will lead to a population boom in central
Kentucky. As our area’s population expands, so too will its healthcare needs. Baptist Health Hardin stands prepared to meet the growing demand by developing strategies to expand services and aggressively recruit highly qualified physicians, practitioners, and team members to serve our growing communities.
At Baptist Health Hardin, we are constantly seeking ways to improve and expand care. In response to current healthcare needs and in anticipation of future needs, we began construction in 2021 on the 282,000-square-foot Baptist Health Hardin Medical Pavilion. Located just behind the hospital on Cardinal Drive, the new pavilion is the size equivalent of 75% of the existing hospital. The facility will
house a new comprehensive cancer center with all patient services together for the first time; 12 new surgical suites, including a hybrid operating room; three additional cardiac catheterization labs; a multidisciplinary outpatient medical office building to accommodate new physicians and specialists; and patient-centric spaces designed to promote emotional and spiritual well-being. With construction well
underway, the new pavilion is expected to open next year. In addition to the new pavilion that is changing the landscape for both the hospital campus and for Elizabethtown, we will certainly continue to offer patients and their families inpatient care at the main hospital and outpatient services at the more than 50 outpatient facilities across our service area and close to their homes. As we navigate one of the most exciting times to live, work and play in Hardin County and our neighboring counties, collaboration and innovation continue to be the keys to an improved quality of life for our people. By working together with the pioneering spirit that has laid the foundation for a strong
community, we can continue to build a better, brighter, and healthier future for generations to come.
Robert Ramey serves as president of Baptist Health Hardin. With over 25 years of experience with Baptist Health, Ramey previously served as president of Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville before taking on his current role on Jan. 1, 2023.
Column was published in News-Enterprise on September 11, 2023
