ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — At the Hardin Memorial Health (HMH) Board of Trustees meeting, the board approved two projects to expand services to Nelson County and the surrounding region.
The board approved $1.1 million to equip the second floor of the HMH Bardstown Medical Plaza on John Rowan Boulevard for a new Urgent Care Center. An outsourced contractor identified it as an ideal location based on population density, knowledge of consumer behaviors and competitor analysis. HMH currently provides primary care office visits, specialty care office visits, retail pharmacy, lab, diagnostic imaging and outpatient rehabilitation and therapy at the Bardstown medical office building.
“Urgent care services will be a perfect complement to existing services provided at HMH Bardstown Medical Plaza,” said Tom Carrico, HMH vice president and chief operating officer. “Healthcare trends continue to show that many patients, specifically Millennials and Generation Y, use the urgent care model as their primary care. We are committed to meeting patients where they are so we can best impact their overall health.”
The board also approved $1.8 million to create a Bardstown Orthopedic Services Clinic at the HMH Bardstown Medical Plaza. The 7,400-square-foot clinic will be the new home of an established Baptist Health Orthopedic practice with Sanjiv Mehta, M.D. By incorporating Dr. Mehta’s practice into HMH Bardstown Medical Plaza, patients will be able to access orthopedics as well as diagnostic services in one location.
“Dr. Mehta is a beloved orthopedic physician with a busy practice,” Carrico said. “By equipping him with a new home at the HMH Bardstown Medical Plaza, we are providing him and his patients with the diagnostic and outpatient rehabilitation and therapy resources needed for comprehensive care.”
At the meeting, Sharon Wright, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, provided important information about COVID-19 and the healthcare system’s response. Wright serves as the leader of HMH’s COVID-19 Taskforce.
“HMH has yet to diagnose a patient with COVID-19,” Wright said. “Our clinical teams have been preparing for the possibility of treating a COVID-19 patient since January, using methods recommended by the CDC. HMH is in the business of caring for people with all kinds of illness. It’s what our team trains for, prepares for and does every day.”
HMH encourages those seeking general information about COVID-19 to check the following reliable, up-to-date sources:
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
- Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services – kycovid19.ky.gov or Public Hotline: 1-800-722-5725
- Lincoln Trail District Health Department – ltdhd.org
- Hardin Memorial Health – hmh.net
The Board of Directors approved the hiring of five new physicians: Rose P. Adchemetre, M.D. (Internal Medicine and Pediatrics), Cody Bearden, M.D (Orthopedics), Imran Iqbal, M.D. (Psychiatry), Jahin Patel, M.D. (Family Medicine), and Brian Price, M.D. (Interventional Cardiology).
“The HMH Medical Group is excited to add five physicians in five high-demand service lines,” said Tom Hustead, M.D., medical director of the HMH Medical Group. “Our ability to recruit during challenging times is evidence that this region is a great place to live and work.”
In other board news:
HMH Interim Chief Financial Officer Pam Gallagher presented the financial report for January and February of 2020. In January, HMH reported a net gain of $1.5 million compared to a planned $525,000 loss, a positive variance of $2.1 million. Gallagher attributed the increase to high patient volumes and expense control.
However, in February, HMH reported an operating income of $38,000, nearly $550,000 less than budgeted. Gallagher attributed the variance to low patient volumes.
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