BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. – UofL Health – South Hospital’s campus is already expanding just six months after its grand opening in Bullitt County. The $8.5-million investment into the 60,000-square-foot, three-story building is directly across the street and allows additional space for services, including primary care, orthopedics, urology and eventually a women’s center. It will be known as Medical Plaza 2.
“The expansion of space and development here at South Hospital speaks to the need of accessible health care that this community was lacking,” said Dorie Shelburne, CEO, South Hospital. “Since opening the full-service hospital in March, we’ve stayed busy providing constant patient-centered care at near-full capacity daily. This continued growth is proof that we will continue to invest in Bullitt County.”
With over four acres of additional land and approximately 1.5 acres planned for additional parking, Medical Plaza 2 will open in two phases. Phase one is expected to be completed by early 2025, and includes primary care, orthopedic and urology services. Phase two will add a multidisciplinary clinic including nephrology, pain and ENT services, a women’s health center and the UofL Health – Brain and Spine Institute. Additionally, South Hospital’s medical office building will now be known as Medical Plaza 1 and will continue to offer an array of services including cardiology, pulmonology, vascular surgery, general surgery, sleep medicine, women’s health and UofL Health – Frazier Rehabilitation Institute. Eventually, Medical Plaza 1 will also include cardiac rehab care.
“Providing preventative care at Medical Plaza 2 is the perfect pairing to support South Hospital,” said Wade Mitzel, COO, UofL Health – UofL Physicians. “We’re bringing more providers to Bullitt County which means we can serve our patients in this community even more effectively.”
This new addition is on top of the $78-million investment into South Hospital, which opened with 40 inpatient beds and shell space for an additional 20 beds. The new hospital fills an access gap in Kentucky’s 10th-most populous county, allowing local patients to get their care closer to home. Bullitt County was previously the largest county in the commonwealth without an inpatient hospital.
In addition to inpatient beds, including a 10-bed intensive care unit, the new full-service acute care hospital has brought more providers, 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, expanded cardiopulmonary services, state-of-the art pharmacy, laboratory and sterile processing areas, and increased surgical suites for inpatient and outpatient procedures.
South Hospital’s investment in health care access goes beyond Bullitt County. In May, it announced plans to expand the reach of Brown Cancer Center by building a new $25-million regional cancer center on the hospital’s campus, as well as the Center for Rural Cancer Education and Research. The purpose is to increase access to comprehensive cancer care in South, Central and Western Kentucky.
