100 Year Anniversary
Baptist Health History
The first seeds for Baptist Health were planted in the 1890s, when Baptist leaders in Kentucky began discussing plans to build a modern hospital as an extension of Christian ministry. Talk turned to action in 1917, when the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky appointed the Rev. Dr. M.P. Hunt to raise funds to start construction.
Baptist church congregations across Kentucky pledged their support – and their dollars – to the opening of a hospital in the state’s most populous city, Louisville, with a vision toward having branches in the future. From that grassroots beginning has grown the state’s largest health system, now known as Baptist Health, with eight owned hospitals in two states – and a 410-bed joint venture hospital in Madisonville, Kentucky.
100 YEAR TIMELINE
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1924
Kentucky Baptist Hospital, the first Baptist hospital in Kentucky, opens in Louisville, along with its nursing school, at 810 Barret Ave, Louisville.
1926
Occupational therapy for crippled children begins with patients staying six to eight months to learn rug weaving, basket making and sewing.
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1949
One of earliest psychiatric (behavioral health) units opened at a private general hospital.
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1953
Western Baptist Hospital opens in Paducah (now known as Baptist Health Paducah).
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1954
Central Baptist Hospital opens in Lexington (now known as Baptist Health Lexington).
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1957
One of state’s first ICUs opens at Central Baptist.
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1959
One of first outpatient clinics in the country opens at Kentucky Baptist.
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1960
First open heart surgery in Louisville performed by Daniel Mahaffey, MD. First pacemaker installed a few months later.
1967
First coronary care unit in Kentucky opens at Central Baptist.
1968
Three Baptist hospitals organize into a single corporation, Baptist Hospitals Inc.
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1975
Baptist Hospital East opens in Louisville (now Baptist Health Louisville) with maternity services moved there from Kentucky Baptist Hospital.
1975 to 1979
Mallory-Taylor Hospital in La Grange managed by Baptist. Image courtesy of the Oldham County History Center.
1976
Oncology unit (27 beds) opens at Kentucky Baptist Hospital – first in Kentucky.
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1977
Kentucky Baptist Hospital changes its name to Highlands Baptist Hospital (then changed to Baptist Hospital Highlands in 1985).
1982
Baptist Hospitals Inc. assumes management of Southeastern Kentucky Baptist in Corbin.
1983
Nursing school closes at Highlands. More than 2,000 nurses graduated from the three-year program.
1984-85
Southeastern Kentucky Baptist Hospital in Corbin contributes assets to Baptist Hospitals Inc.
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1989
Original hospital, then known as Baptist Highlands, closes and merges with Baptist East.
1990
National accolades received for the Oasis Room humor therapy program at Baptist East.
1991
A new hospital in Corbin opens, Baptist Regional Medical Center, and merges into Baptist Healthcare System.
1992
Baptist purchases Tri-County Community Hospital in La Grange (now known as Baptist Health La Grange).
1997
Hardin Memorial Hospital signs management agreement with Baptist Healthcare System.
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2008
Park Tower addition at Baptist East opens, first new beds added since 1989.
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2009
Baptist Health Eastpoint outpatient and surgery center opens in Eastern Jefferson County.
2010
Pattie A. Clay Regional Medical Center in Richmond, Kentucky signs management agreement with Baptist Healthcare System.
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2012
Baptist Healthcare System rebrands to become Baptist Health. Pattie A. Clay becomes the sixth owned hospital, renamed Baptist Health Richmond. Trover Health becomes the seventh owned hospital, renamed Baptist Health Madisonville.
2012 to 2014
Central Baptist (now Baptist Health Lexington) manages Russell County Hospital.
2016
Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services in Southern Indiana is acquired and becomes Baptist Health Floyd.
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2017
Virtual Care offers 24/7 access to care for minor illness.
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2020
Hardin Memorial Health purchase finalized, becomes Baptist Health Hardin.
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2021
Joint venture with Evansville, Indiana-based Deaconess Health for operation of Madisonville hospital, becomes Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville.
2022
First Baptist Health ER & Urgent Care hybrid opens in Jeffersonville, Indiana in a joint venture with Intuitive Health.
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2023
Level II NICU opens at Baptist Health Floyd. Thrive Center, 11-bed behavioral health inpatient unit, opens at Baptist Health Richmond.
2024
Level II NICU opens at Baptist Health Floyd