A new era of rural regional hospital care took root in Hopkinsville and western Kentucky Monday morning, when officials of Deaconess Health System and Jennie Stuart Health professionally and publicly welcomed their long-litigated and well-vetted merger to the community.
CEO of Deaconess since 2017, Shawn McCoy reflected on the history of the two hospitals — and noted he, and many others, are ready for this next chapter to begin.
Two wins for the merger and the region, McCoy noted, have already occurred.
The affiliation is already underway after beginning October 1.
And at 6:30 AM October 5, EPIC — which officials believe is the world’s greatest electronic health record system — went live at Jennie Stuart Health, bringing unprecedented health and medical information to practitioners and patients alike through applications like “MyChart.”
McCoy further noted that a wish list item, or win No. 3 for this merger, would be the arrival of a catheterization laboratory — or a cath lab — to Christian County, which could be used for improved diagnostic imaging of hearts and arteries.
In the Deaconess restructure, Eric Lee confirmed his title would change to “Chief Administrative Officer” of the Jennie Stuart Health campus, and that over time, his duties and responsibilities would slightly change.
However, it will still be his job to oversee local operations, while answering to a Jennie Stuart Health Board of Directors that jumps from 12 local members to 15 — adding three voices from the Deaconess purview.
Goal No. 1, Lee said, is to begin immediate work on a three-to-five-year plan that focuses on growth around the Pennyrile.
Other speakers Monday included Kentucky Hospital Association Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Relations Jim Musser, Senator Craig Richardson of Christian County, Christian County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Taylor Hayes and Jennie Stuart Health Board Chair Leslie Carroll.
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