BULLITT COUNTY, Ky – UofL Health celebrates the much-anticipated opening of UofL Health –South Hospital, in Bullitt County, Ky. The $78 million acute care hospital opens with 40 inpatient beds, and shell space for an additional 20 beds. The new hospital fills an access gap in Kentucky’s 10th most populus county, allowing local patients to get their care closer to home. Bullitt County was previously the largest county without an inpatient hospital.
South Hospital is UofL Health’s newest community hospital and the first inpatient hospital in fast-growing Bullitt County.
The 170,000-s.f., 40-bed hospital provides area residents a full range of services including 24/7 emergency care, a 10-bed intensive care unit, 30 mixed acuity patient rooms, a cardiac catheterization lab, vascular lab, general and specialized surgical and endoscopy procedures, diagnostic and medical imaging including cardiopulmonary testing, orthopedics, gastroenterology, sleep medicine, vascular surgery and state-of-the-art pharmacy, laboratory and sterile processing services. On-campus services also include a variety of primary care and specialty physicians/providers, Frazier Rehab Center for physical, occupational and speech therapy and Café South for dining.
The full-service acute care hospital includes a 10-bed ICU, enhanced heart care services including cardiac and vascular catheterization labs and STEMI Network for faster treatment of acute heart attacks, expanded emergency capabilities, expanded cardiopulmonary services, state-of-the art pharmacy, laboratory and sterile processing areas and increased surgical suites for inpatient and outpatient procedures.
Located directly off Interstate 65 (Brooks exit #121), South Hospital is positioned to support one of Kentucky’s fastest growing regions. In addition to inpatient beds, including a 10-bed intensive care unit, the new full-service acute care hospital is bringing more providers. It will also provide 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.
“When access is improved, health is improved and that is why UofL Health is investing in Bullitt County,” said Tom Miller, UofL Health CEO. “Our mission is to transform the health of our communities and this hospital allows us to serve more patients with world-class and transformative care.”
As part of an academic health system, the hospital brings additional advantages including access to a comprehensive collection of medial expertise and early access to innovative treatments.
“The need for a full-service hospital in this area is well-documented,” said University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel. “This remarkable new facility brings together expanded high-quality services and the expertise of an academic medical system. It will allow more of our doctors and nurses to serve the people of Bullitt County and the surrounding community.”
The project has evolved the existing medical center built in 2006 into a hospital, tripling the size of UofL Health’s presence in the area, adding more than 100,000 square feet and an additional two floors. In addition to inpatient services, the new hospital also now includes all the support amenities such as food service, a cafeteria and chapel.
“This hospital builds on the legacy of care established here for nearly twenty years,” said Dorie Shelburne, UofL Health – South Hospital CEO. “Now, as a full-service community hospital, we will provide much needed inpatient care. When an overnight hospital stay is required, most patients will be able to stay close to home and closer to their family.”
To support the expanded care more than 150 new employees have joined the team, including nursing and ancillary positions.
“The evolution into an inpatient hospital brings convenience, but much more. South Hospital will improve quality care and medical outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Emily Volk, South Hospital chief medical officer. “Our medical team includes specialists in critical care, orthopedic surgery and interventional cardiology, just to name a few, along with the continued connection to our larger UofL Physicians network.”
South Hospital anticipates serving patients from Bullitt, Spencer, Nelson, Meade, Hardin counties, along with southern Jefferson County. With the opening of South Hospital, UofL Health now includes nine hospitals across the system.
For more information on South Hospital, visit here.
“Expanding access to quality affordable health care is a priority for our administration,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “The investments we have made in our health care industry help give our families peace of mind and make Kentucky a safer, healthier place to call home.”
Affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, UofL Health is a fully integrated regional academic health system with nine hospitals, four medical centers, Brown Cancer Center, Eye Institute, nearly 200 physician practice locations, and more than 1,000 providers in Louisville and the surrounding counties, including southern Indiana. Additional access to UofL Health is provided through a partnership with Carroll County Memorial Hospital.
UofL Health is committed to providing patients with access to the most advanced care available. This includes clinical trials, collaboration on research and the development of new technologies to both save and improve lives. With more than 13,000 team members – physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and other highly-skilled health care professionals, UofL Health is focused on one mission: to transform the health of communities we serve through compassionate, innovative, patient-centered care. For more information on UofL Health, go to
