LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Norton West Louisville Hospital opened its doors to patients today, giving residents of West Louisville access to outpatient, hospital and emergency services as well as primary and specialty care closer to home — a critical need that has long been missing from this area of Louisville.
“Norton West Louisville Hospital was constructed to provide access to quality medical treatment by eliminating obstacles so all residents can live a healthy and prosperous life,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “While we have adult and pediatric medical offices in West Louisville, this state-of-the-art hospital will help us care for more patients and continue to put health equity in the forefront.”
West Louisville is composed of nine neighborhoods and has endured years of disinvestment. The most recent Health Equity Report published by the Louisville Metro Center for Health Equity still shows that life expectancy for residents of West Louisville is 15 years lower than other areas of the city. The report also shows higher rates of death connected to stroke, heart disease and cancer in this area of Louisville.
“As a dad, I know that when your child is hurt or sick, it’s scary. Every minute feels like an eternity,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Now, thanks to our partners at Norton Healthcare, no one in West Louisville will have to wait, because they’ll have a world-class hospital close to home. Thank you for this investment, which will help Kentucky families for generations to come.”
“The first hospital built in West Louisville in more than 150 years is long overdue, and I am thrilled Norton Healthcare is making this investment in our community and the people who live here,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “I am thankful for Norton Healthcare’s belief in this project and am confident this will improve health, wellness and economic well-being for residents who’ve been underserved for too long.”
Norton West Louisville Hospital has a 24/7 emergency department; inpatient treatment; operating rooms; laboratory services; imaging services, including X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI; and a retail pharmacy. The medical offices inside the hospital house adult primary care providers and specialists in cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, pulmonology, surgery, women’s care, oncology/hematology, neurology and neurosurgery. For children, the offices have pediatric primary care and specialists in pediatric endocrinology and pediatric oncology/hematology. Both children and adults have access to care from providers with Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, a part of Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s. Having medical office space inside the hospital, rather than in a separate medical office building, is a unique feature of Norton West Louisville Hospital.
The hospital also has a centralized check-in area, community rooms, a bistro, outdoor green space and a Dare to Care food pantry.
“Members of our community were instrumental in providing feedback on the services and amenities they wanted to have in their community hospital,” said Corenza Townsend, chief administrative office, Norton West Louisville Hospital. “We gathered information and ideas from more than 4,500 people, the majority who live or work in West Louisville. We will continue to seek feedback, and Norton West Louisville Hospital will evolve to meet the community’s needs.”
Special touches found in the $90 million hospital include three construction beams signed by more than 2,000 employees and residents that are displayed outside of the Gouverneur H. Nixon Jr. Community Education Center. With donations made through the Norton Healthcare Foundation, artwork curated by a West Louisville resident — and many pieces by two West Louisville artists — adorn walls throughout the hospital and medical office space.
A special monument honors the medical pioneers of West Louisville who dedicated their lives to providing medical care to people of color in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The monument was funded by the family of Richard S. Wolf, M.D., through the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, in memory of Dr. Wolf’s life and work as a pediatrician, former medical director at Norton Children’s Hospital and “Mayor” of Safety City. Dr. Wolf was a passionate advocate for access, prevention and wellness for children in our region.
Norton West Louisville Hospital is located at 850 S. 28th St. on the Norton Healthcare Goodwill Opportunity Campus. It employs more than 350 people in a variety of clinical and nonclinical positions.
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About Norton Healthcare
Norton Healthcare is a leader in serving adult and pediatric patients from throughout Greater Louisville, Southern Indiana, the commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond. The not-for-profit hospital and health care system has six Louisville-based hospitals and three hospitals in Southern Indiana.
With more than 23,000 employees, over 1,750 employed medical providers and more than 3,000 total providers on its medical staff, Norton Healthcare is Louisville’s second largest employer. It provides care at more than 400 locations throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana. The six Louisville hospitals have a total of 1,927 licensed beds, and the Southern Indiana hospitals have a total of 347 licensed beds. The hospitals provide inpatient and outpatient general care as well as specialty care, including heart, neuroscience, cancer, orthopedic, women’s and pediatric services. The system also includes 10 outpatient centers, 19 Norton Immediate Care Centers, 14 Norton Prompt Care clinics and an expanded telehealth program. A strong research program provides access to clinical trials in a multitude of areas.
Norton Healthcare’s five Louisville hospitals and Norton Cancer Institute are LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leaders. Our facilities first received this designation from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in 2018 and have received it in all subsequent years that the designation has been awarded. (HRC did not announce health equality designations in 2021 or 2023.) Norton Healthcare also was recognized in 2022, 2023 and 2024 on the Disability Equality Index’s list of Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.
More information is available at NortonHealthcare.com.
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