About Baptist Health Hamburg
Baptist Health Hamburg, a department of Baptist Health Lexington, is the largest and most ambitious healthcare project in Central and Eastern Kentucky in the past 25 years. This outpatient medical center is focused on putting patients first, providing greater access, more convenience and the latest technology to our community.
Our vision is to:
- Provide access for Eastern and Central Kentuckians; reducing stress, travel times and inconvenience.
- Serve the community with an onsite pharmacy that fills prescriptions for Baptist Health patients, discharged patients, and Baptist Health employees and families. Learn more about our Community Pharmacy services.
- Strive for green building, sustainability and energy efficiency.
- Ensure maximum flexibility for future growth in providing site infrastructure as well as building design and construction. All buildings are designed to accommodate future expansion.
- Provide the highest quality of patient-centered clinical services available anywhere.
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♪ [music]
♪ - [Dave]
Hi, everybody. I'm Dave Baker fromWKYT.
- [Jennifer]
And I'm Jennifer Palumbo from LAX 18.
- [Tom]
I'm Tom Kenney from ABC 36.
- Today, we celebrate a groundbreaking, the symbolic beginning of a new era in health care for Central Kentuckians.
- In normal times, we'd be standing in a field surrounded by a crowd wearing hardhats and holding shovels.
- Nevertheless, it's a celebration as we honor the latest addition to the Baptist Health Care system's network of care. And Baptist Health Lexington, for example, holds a special place for me. Both of my children were born there.
- Both of my children were born there as well.
- Four for me and the oldest is now about to become a nurse herself. But today, what we'll talk about is we'll have a variety of guests here with us and we'll learn how this ambitious project came about, its capabilities and the impact it's going to have on Central Kentuckians.
- We'll have inspirational musical performances and get insights from the people directly involved with this project.
- Join us now for a different kind of groundbreaking, safe and socially distanced. But we're still celebrating the groundbreaking medicine, technology and the compassionate care that sets the Baptist Health Care system apart from everyone else and makes it unique in the Bluegrass.
- Please join me now in welcoming Baptist Health CEO Gerard Colman and Michael Preacely.
- [Gerard]
My name is Gerard Coleman and I am the CEO of Baptist Health. On behalf of our employees, providers and communities, we represent throughout the Baptist Health system, it is an honor to be with you for this virtual groundbreaking event today. The celebration represents our commitment to provide and coordinate care, to improve the health in our communities. As the largest health care system in Kentucky, reaching over 74% of the state's population, it is Baptist Health's mission to increase accessibility and services available to meet the health and wellness needs of those we serve.
The investment to expand to the Hamburg area is a great opportunity for patients to access the world-class care provided by the Baptist Health team of clinicians and employees who care so deeply for our communities. As we begin the event, let us be reminded in this unprecedented time that we can be united as a community to celebrate this historical expansion. ♪ [music]
♪ ♪ Our Father which art in Heaven ♪ ♪ hallowed be thy name ♪ ♪ thy kingdom come ♪ ♪ they will be done ♪ ♪ on Earth as it is in Heaven ♪ ♪ [music]
♪ ♪ Give us this day, our daily bread ♪ ♪ And forgive us our debts ♪ ♪ as we forgive our debtors ♪ ♪ And lead us not into temptation ♪ ♪ but deliver us from evil ♪ ♪ for thine is a kingdom and the power ♪ ♪ and the glory forever ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ - Thanks, Michael, for setting the tone for this occasion. And thanks to all of you for allowing us into your homes. Next, we'll learn about those involved in this momentous project from the history of the property, which sits on the I-64, I-75 corridor to the careful planning and design and everything it took to bring Baptist Health Hamburg from the drawing board to its future site on Lexington's Northeast side.
And we'll hear from Mayor Linda Gorton on the impact this facility will have on Central Kentuckians and those from around our state.
- We want to talk about what the expansion into Hamburg and Lexington means for Baptist Health. To help us do that, I would like to bring in Vicki Buster. She is the chair of the Baptist Health system board. And also, we're joined by the chair elect, Aaron Thompson.
And Vicki, let me start with you. This expansion into Hamburg, what does it mean for the Baptist Health system?
- [Vicki]
Well, the whole idea, of course, of the system is to have a blanket approach to the whole state. We want to be able to offer care to all the citizens of Kentucky. So, Hamburg is an integral part of that. It gives us a wonderful corridor from Lexington to Richmond and will provide incredible services to the citizens that live within that corridor.
- Aaron, what does this expansion mean to the other hospitals in the Baptist Health system?
- [Aaron]
Tom, I think that's a good question. When we think of Hamburg, we see this anchor footprint, if you will, connecting us, as Vicki said, the 64 corridor and the 75 corridor. I'm from eastern Kentucky. What I know is as we go down to Richmond, down to Corbin, Kentucky, serving that part of the population group with this wonderful 1500 solid physician assistants, nursing practitioners, all those now will be available to all of our citizens in Kentucky for the best health care possible.
- And Vicki, more specifically, what does the expansion into Hamburg mean for patients who want to be treated by Baptist Health?
- Well, one of the great things is they will have access to our fantastic care. We have the highest quality care of any system in Kentucky. And now all patients will be able to access that care quite simply by going to the Hamburg site. ♪ [music]
♪ - Pat, there is such a great history involving Hamburg Farm and there have been a number of changes over the years. So take us through that and how we got to the place that we are today.
- [Patrick]
Well, it originally started off with my great grandfather and when he purchased, I think about 300 or 400 acres back in 1898 when he sold the horse Hamburg. It eventually grew to around 2000 before some roads started taken ride away and things like that. So it was 1800 for a long time. My great grandfather also owned Elmendorf Farm at one time.
He liked to buy a lot of land.
- Oh, wow.
- And my dad used to say he sold the right farm, he sold Elmendorf and we kept Hamburg. So the farm's been in the family for four generations. I like to say my great grandfather, he raced horses on the farm. Then my grandfather raised basically cattle, livestock and back in the war time, we raised crops for the government, such as hemp, and my dad raced horses again.
Now I raise buildings. That's kind of the same. So, it's still in the family and the pièce de résistance to this whole development, in my opinion, is going to be the Baptist Health center when it's built.
- How much has it changed from when you all put that plan together?
- It's not changed significantly. If you'll remember when we initially started it, we had contemplated the first thing being an enclosed mall. Sort of by luck, it didn't happen. I mean, I like what we have better now than if we had an enclosed mall.
Given what's going on with enclosed malls. But the layout, the uses, where they're located, most of that has pretty much been close to where we planned it all along. Now, the exact uses, you know, things have changed. Different things come into vogue, you do different things.
But we had a good plan. It wasn't just me. It was my mom, my dad, my uncle, my aunt, my two cousins, Winifred and Preston, who were still my partners and everything. It's been a team effort, it really has.
And it's taken a vision, not just...I mean, you know, I'm an out-front person, but there's a lot more people have been involved in it. There's no other piece of land where you can come in and there's one person who's spending his whole time figuring out how to make things work better here. So if you're a tenant here, you're part of the team.
I'm trying to figure out how to make it better for you. And several tenants have bought into that and I think it's working. I hope it's working, and I'm really excited about adding the health care, pièce de résistance, like I said, to the whole development here.
- So, as you envision this development, was this medical facility always a part of the plan?
- Absolutely. We had always hoped to attract the best medical provider in town to do a medical…well at the time I didn't know the term campus, but I learned that from Bill Sisson. But that was always one of our best hopes, it would become the pièce de résistance, so to speak, of the whole development. And providing medical needs to the whole community was always a paramount concern of ours.
- And you're deeply involved in this development. What is it that you like about this campus concept that's going to be there?
- I've got to give Bill credit. He's the one who said that to me at the very start. And his ideas of having not just medical care there, but then like he wants to have an extended stay. So you just walk, you know, if you've got your mom's there or your grandfather's there and you want to stay the night, it's right there.
The idea of a campus, there's nowhere else in Lexington that really has a complete campus. There would be a pharmacy right out front. If you needed to go grab a bite to eat, you could go to a restaurant. The idea that it's a self-contained medical community and Bill Sisson was the one that taught me this whole idea.
And I think it's brilliant and it's going to be one of a kind and the first in the state that I'm aware of. We're uniquely positioned in that I-75 and I-64 come together very close to this location. If you go south of Lexington or if you go east of Lexington, there are no big cities for a long, long way. What does that mean?
That means that we have an unusually long regional draw for from the south and from the east. Now of course, the north and the west you've got Louisville and Cincinnati.
- Sure.
- But they're still an hour away. So, a lot of cities don't draw for, you know, 45 minutes away, which we are from the from the north and the west as well. But from the south and the east, we are the regional spot. And I think that's part of the reason that Baptist is willing to create this big a campus.
And it will serve way more than just Lexington. And that's the idea.
- Your mom was certainly more out in front, but she and your dad were both very involved in giving back to this community. And as a family, you talked a lot about what is the most important thing, and I know that drives you with this.
- Absolutely. The most important thing my father always used to say was the next generation. So, it gives me great, I mean, joy to see that we're going to it's not just my next generation, it's the next generation of Lexingtonians. It's the next generation of Kentuckians.
And that's what Baptist is going to do here, serve the next generation for a long time. And it does give me a lot of joy to see that. ♪ [music]
♪ - Mayor Gorton, this is so exciting. Tell me what this project means to the city of Lexington.
- [Mayor Gorton]
Well, it is exciting, and we are so happy to celebrate this project. This is new jobs coming to Lexington, among other things. And it is high-paying jobs, it's home-grown jobs. And so that's big for us here in Lexington.
And it's also health care, which as we know, is very important.
- Mayor Gorton, Lexington is, of course, already on the map for health care. But how does this new project enhance Lexington's role in health care?
- Well, our health care system, which is very highly regarded, serves not only the Bluegrass and Lexingtonians, but Eastern Kentuckians. And, you know, I'm very proud of the fact that I'm a registered nurse and part of the health care system. And this just elevates us as a hub for good, high-quality health care. And I really have to give kudos to Patrick Madden and to Bill Sisson and to the Baptist Health Board of Directors for their vision.
It's a wonderful vision.
- How is the city involved in this project?
- The city was pretty heavily involved. This project is one where I advocated for tax incentives to bring these jobs to the project. And what that means is that this will be able to be built, the jobs will come and the revenue from those jobs, I think the payroll is estimated to be about $55 million annually. And that means that our citizens can enjoy more services because those moneys come back into the city.
- Baptist Health Lexington, of course, has quite the storied history in the city. Tell us how this new project will enhance that.
- When I read the history of how Baptist Health started, I was really surprised. It was in 1954, I believe, and Baptist leaders had this vision that they wanted health care, Baptist Health Care, and it was it was wonderful how they raised money. They went door to door, they had fundraisers, and then they were able to create Baptist Health. And it's such a wonderful, storied history and is just a high-quality class act for our community.
- Coming up, we're going to talk to Baptist Health Lexington president, Bill Sisson, and get an exclusive look at Baptist Health Hamburg.
- We'll also go in-depth with Dr. Gregory Pass to talk about what a great place it is to work and serve close to home. We will also talk with Lori Mathews of the Baptist Health Foundation. She'll talk about investing in health and healing.
♪ [music]
♪ - So, Bill, we find ourselves in many ways in a quick fix society right now. But your career has been anything but quick. Talk about it.
- [Bill]
Yeah, I started back over 40 years ago when I was working at Western Baptist Hospital, one of our hospitals down in Paducah. That's where I really started my career. And the way I wanted to work in health care was I wanted to work for a hospital or for an organization that used their Christian values in terms of how we care for each other and care for our patients. And when I got to Lexington, I think over 30, 31 years ago, I really felt that we could really do a lot more than we currently did.
We were a much smaller hospital. And when we got there, we had to buy two churches, subdivision. We had to really spend a lot of money being able to expand our footprint in that market. And my vision for the future was to really put the efforts together to build a culture that centers nothing else but around the patient.
And I tell people at the hospital, "Don't worry about the dollars. Let's just take great care of our patients." To do that, the culture has to grow from us. We have to make each other a priority.
We've got to learn to love and care for each other as we all work together. And then if you look at spreading that across the hospital in the future, is that hospital's culture is why we are where we are today. It's because people come in and feel that there's something different about Baptist. And the difference is our doctors, our employees, all of us have committed to doing one thing extremely well, caring and loving our patients.
- You've done that. And as you said, it has created this growth which we'll now see here at Hamburg. What kind of personal feeling does this give you to be at this point with this project?
- Like I told somebody this morning, "You probably see a gleam in my eye." This is something that I have planned on and thought about and envisioned. This is where I think health care is going in the future. It's outpatient driven, but the key to that is to get that same love and caring in that community, which we think will continue to grow faster and faster.
So, this is our phase one, phase two will come along in the future. But right now, putting this out there where 60% of our patients come from is outside of Lexington. This will give us an opportunity to reach those people in that location. ♪ [music]
♪ World-class health care means so much more when you can easily access it. That's why we're excited where Baptist Health Hamburg comes in. Years ago, I realized that the Hamburg area was going to be the epicenter of incredible growth. I knew that as growth continued, there would be a greater need and a desire for the quality, compassionate care that we provide.
We know that over 60% of our patients come from outside of Fayette County, traveling into Lexington city center adds both miles and minutes to their journey. So, we began plans to meet that future need along Lexington's I-64, I-75 corridor. As soon as you walk in the main entrance, you'll be walking by sunlight, open space. Every amenity carefully planned and selected for healing and restoration for both our patients and our loved ones.
Easily accessible at Baptist Health Hamburg will be the emergency department, featuring plenty of parking and a traffic flow design to be fast and efficient. We all know about advances in noninvasive surgery and recovery therapies. Our Ambulatory Surgery Center will provide an outpatient surgical service for those procedures, again in a warm, welcoming space designed both for our patients and their families and our caregivers. Baptist Health Hamburg will also house a cancer center, featuring the very latest therapies, technologies and clinical trials known to medicine, all trained and targeted to fighting cancer in all of its forms.
Baptist Health Hamburg is truly the culmination of a vision to really shorten the distance between the state's premier health care and the Kentuckians who will rely on it. ♪ [music]
♪ - Dr. Repass, tell us a little bit about what you do at Baptist Health Lexington, and why you chose to work there when you probably could have gone anywhere in the country.
- [Dr. Repass]
So, I am a hospitalist, which means I'm an internal medicine physician who works in the hospital, providing primary care different from a usual primary care doctor who works in an office setting. I grew up here in Lexington. I was actually born at Central Baptist Hospital and when I finished my medical training at the University of Kentucky, I went out of state to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for residency. And when I finished there, I looked at opportunities that were available to me and ultimately, I felt compelled to return home to my home community, to my home state, and serve the community there.
When I looked at opportunities, I felt that Baptist Health was the best place for me to provide the clinical excellence and the compassionate care that I was used to and I felt really compelled to bring to my community.
- With this expansion at Hamburg, why is that so exciting? Why is that so important for the future of health care in central Kentucky?
- So it's a great opportunity for our community to have greater bandwidth for health care. And when you think about all of the families in Kentucky that are impacted by this hospital, both as patients but also through their loved ones, as nurses, as physical therapists, as physicians coming to work there and help give back to their community, there's a lot of excitement there. Baptist Health Lexington is a Magnet hospital, which means that we have a nursing-led leadership that work with our physicians to make sure that every individual could benefit from working there as a career, starting at bedside to becoming a leader to impact patients both directly in compassionate, focused care on the patient, as well as at a leadership level, making decisions that impact the community as well as impact care given throughout the hospital.
So I'm excited about how this facility will help Lexington grow. Since my childhood here, Lexington, the eastern part of town, Hamburg has grown significantly and having a cutting-edge health care facility here on this part of town will continue that growth, support its growth and allow for people that I know as friends and my family to be taken care of and your family and your friends as well. It is a great asset to our community for Baptist Health to continue to grow and for the commonwealth to benefit from what all our system has to offer both at a local level and a regional level. ♪ [music]
♪ - Lori Mathews is foundation executive at Baptist Health Lexington. And Lori, why is philanthropy so important for this project?
- [Lori]
Well, Tom, there are so many people across the state of Kentucky and beyond who feel a deep connection to Baptist Health Lexington, who will naturally want to be part of this project. And, you know, philanthropy exists because human kindness exists. There are those people out there who actively look for opportunities to partner and use their resources to make a difference in the lives of others. Projects like Hamburg are special.
And this is the opportunity for people to use their resources to make a difference in the lives of Central and Eastern Kentuckians on a massive scale. You know, every week at the foundation we talk to families and patients who share their stories about that moment in their health care, where their doctors and nurses went beyond the expected in their care. So this is the opportunity to be able to make a gift to your families and neighbors and yourselves, the gift of health care. It's a privilege to know that you can give a gift that will transform lives throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky for many years to come.
- It is generational giving. We hope you'll take advantage of this unique opportunity.
- Well, it's been an extraordinary and a unique groundbreaking for Baptist Health Hamburg.
- We want to thank all of our guests for their insights and expertise into this next-level facility for Central Kentucky health care.
- And we want to thank you, the viewer. After all, you or a loved one may have a medical need in the future that could be served by this new state-of-the-art facility.
- And how good is it to know that there is such quality, compassionate health care close to home? ♪ The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home ♪ ♪ Tis summer, the people are gay ♪ ♪ The corn tops ripe and the meadows in the bloom ♪ ♪ While the birds make music all the day ♪ ♪ The young folks roll on the little cabin floor ♪ ♪ all merry, all happy and bright ♪ ♪ By and by hard times comes a knocking at the door ♪ ♪ then my old Kentucky home goodnight ♪ ♪ Weep no more my lady ♪ ♪ Oh, weep no more today ♪ ♪ We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home ♪ ♪ for my old Kentucky home far away ♪ ♪ Oh, weep no more my lady ♪ ♪ Oh, weep no more today ♪ ♪ We will since one song for my old Kentucky home ♪ ♪ for my old Kentucky home far away ♪ - [Kristi]
I'm a lifelong Lexingtonian. In fact, I was born at Central Baptist Hospital, as were both of my daughters. So I'm well aware of the rich tradition Baptist Health Lexington has of quality and compassionate care. It has been such an honor for me to serve as chair of the Baptist Health Lexington Administrative Board and be a part of this expansion process, which will allow so many more people the ability to receive quality health care.
Baptist Health Lexington shines bright in all the communities that we serve. Baptist Health Hamburg will bring hope and healing to many future generations. Thank you for allowing us to serve you and those most precious to you. ♪ [music]
♪
♪ - [Dave]
Hi, everybody. I'm Dave Baker fromWKYT.
- [Jennifer]
And I'm Jennifer Palumbo from LAX 18.
- [Tom]
I'm Tom Kenney from ABC 36.
- Today, we celebrate a groundbreaking, the symbolic beginning of a new era in health care for Central Kentuckians.
- In normal times, we'd be standing in a field surrounded by a crowd wearing hardhats and holding shovels.
- Nevertheless, it's a celebration as we honor the latest addition to the Baptist Health Care system's network of care. And Baptist Health Lexington, for example, holds a special place for me. Both of my children were born there.
- Both of my children were born there as well.
- Four for me and the oldest is now about to become a nurse herself. But today, what we'll talk about is we'll have a variety of guests here with us and we'll learn how this ambitious project came about, its capabilities and the impact it's going to have on Central Kentuckians.
- We'll have inspirational musical performances and get insights from the people directly involved with this project.
- Join us now for a different kind of groundbreaking, safe and socially distanced. But we're still celebrating the groundbreaking medicine, technology and the compassionate care that sets the Baptist Health Care system apart from everyone else and makes it unique in the Bluegrass.
- Please join me now in welcoming Baptist Health CEO Gerard Colman and Michael Preacely.
- [Gerard]
My name is Gerard Coleman and I am the CEO of Baptist Health. On behalf of our employees, providers and communities, we represent throughout the Baptist Health system, it is an honor to be with you for this virtual groundbreaking event today. The celebration represents our commitment to provide and coordinate care, to improve the health in our communities. As the largest health care system in Kentucky, reaching over 74% of the state's population, it is Baptist Health's mission to increase accessibility and services available to meet the health and wellness needs of those we serve.
The investment to expand to the Hamburg area is a great opportunity for patients to access the world-class care provided by the Baptist Health team of clinicians and employees who care so deeply for our communities. As we begin the event, let us be reminded in this unprecedented time that we can be united as a community to celebrate this historical expansion. ♪ [music]
♪ ♪ Our Father which art in Heaven ♪ ♪ hallowed be thy name ♪ ♪ thy kingdom come ♪ ♪ they will be done ♪ ♪ on Earth as it is in Heaven ♪ ♪ [music]
♪ ♪ Give us this day, our daily bread ♪ ♪ And forgive us our debts ♪ ♪ as we forgive our debtors ♪ ♪ And lead us not into temptation ♪ ♪ but deliver us from evil ♪ ♪ for thine is a kingdom and the power ♪ ♪ and the glory forever ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ - Thanks, Michael, for setting the tone for this occasion. And thanks to all of you for allowing us into your homes. Next, we'll learn about those involved in this momentous project from the history of the property, which sits on the I-64, I-75 corridor to the careful planning and design and everything it took to bring Baptist Health Hamburg from the drawing board to its future site on Lexington's Northeast side.
And we'll hear from Mayor Linda Gorton on the impact this facility will have on Central Kentuckians and those from around our state.
- We want to talk about what the expansion into Hamburg and Lexington means for Baptist Health. To help us do that, I would like to bring in Vicki Buster. She is the chair of the Baptist Health system board. And also, we're joined by the chair elect, Aaron Thompson.
And Vicki, let me start with you. This expansion into Hamburg, what does it mean for the Baptist Health system?
- [Vicki]
Well, the whole idea, of course, of the system is to have a blanket approach to the whole state. We want to be able to offer care to all the citizens of Kentucky. So, Hamburg is an integral part of that. It gives us a wonderful corridor from Lexington to Richmond and will provide incredible services to the citizens that live within that corridor.
- Aaron, what does this expansion mean to the other hospitals in the Baptist Health system?
- [Aaron]
Tom, I think that's a good question. When we think of Hamburg, we see this anchor footprint, if you will, connecting us, as Vicki said, the 64 corridor and the 75 corridor. I'm from eastern Kentucky. What I know is as we go down to Richmond, down to Corbin, Kentucky, serving that part of the population group with this wonderful 1500 solid physician assistants, nursing practitioners, all those now will be available to all of our citizens in Kentucky for the best health care possible.
- And Vicki, more specifically, what does the expansion into Hamburg mean for patients who want to be treated by Baptist Health?
- Well, one of the great things is they will have access to our fantastic care. We have the highest quality care of any system in Kentucky. And now all patients will be able to access that care quite simply by going to the Hamburg site. ♪ [music]
♪ - Pat, there is such a great history involving Hamburg Farm and there have been a number of changes over the years. So take us through that and how we got to the place that we are today.
- [Patrick]
Well, it originally started off with my great grandfather and when he purchased, I think about 300 or 400 acres back in 1898 when he sold the horse Hamburg. It eventually grew to around 2000 before some roads started taken ride away and things like that. So it was 1800 for a long time. My great grandfather also owned Elmendorf Farm at one time.
He liked to buy a lot of land.
- Oh, wow.
- And my dad used to say he sold the right farm, he sold Elmendorf and we kept Hamburg. So the farm's been in the family for four generations. I like to say my great grandfather, he raced horses on the farm. Then my grandfather raised basically cattle, livestock and back in the war time, we raised crops for the government, such as hemp, and my dad raced horses again.
Now I raise buildings. That's kind of the same. So, it's still in the family and the pièce de résistance to this whole development, in my opinion, is going to be the Baptist Health center when it's built.
- How much has it changed from when you all put that plan together?
- It's not changed significantly. If you'll remember when we initially started it, we had contemplated the first thing being an enclosed mall. Sort of by luck, it didn't happen. I mean, I like what we have better now than if we had an enclosed mall.
Given what's going on with enclosed malls. But the layout, the uses, where they're located, most of that has pretty much been close to where we planned it all along. Now, the exact uses, you know, things have changed. Different things come into vogue, you do different things.
But we had a good plan. It wasn't just me. It was my mom, my dad, my uncle, my aunt, my two cousins, Winifred and Preston, who were still my partners and everything. It's been a team effort, it really has.
And it's taken a vision, not just...I mean, you know, I'm an out-front person, but there's a lot more people have been involved in it. There's no other piece of land where you can come in and there's one person who's spending his whole time figuring out how to make things work better here. So if you're a tenant here, you're part of the team.
I'm trying to figure out how to make it better for you. And several tenants have bought into that and I think it's working. I hope it's working, and I'm really excited about adding the health care, pièce de résistance, like I said, to the whole development here.
- So, as you envision this development, was this medical facility always a part of the plan?
- Absolutely. We had always hoped to attract the best medical provider in town to do a medical…well at the time I didn't know the term campus, but I learned that from Bill Sisson. But that was always one of our best hopes, it would become the pièce de résistance, so to speak, of the whole development. And providing medical needs to the whole community was always a paramount concern of ours.
- And you're deeply involved in this development. What is it that you like about this campus concept that's going to be there?
- I've got to give Bill credit. He's the one who said that to me at the very start. And his ideas of having not just medical care there, but then like he wants to have an extended stay. So you just walk, you know, if you've got your mom's there or your grandfather's there and you want to stay the night, it's right there.
The idea of a campus, there's nowhere else in Lexington that really has a complete campus. There would be a pharmacy right out front. If you needed to go grab a bite to eat, you could go to a restaurant. The idea that it's a self-contained medical community and Bill Sisson was the one that taught me this whole idea.
And I think it's brilliant and it's going to be one of a kind and the first in the state that I'm aware of. We're uniquely positioned in that I-75 and I-64 come together very close to this location. If you go south of Lexington or if you go east of Lexington, there are no big cities for a long, long way. What does that mean?
That means that we have an unusually long regional draw for from the south and from the east. Now of course, the north and the west you've got Louisville and Cincinnati.
- Sure.
- But they're still an hour away. So, a lot of cities don't draw for, you know, 45 minutes away, which we are from the from the north and the west as well. But from the south and the east, we are the regional spot. And I think that's part of the reason that Baptist is willing to create this big a campus.
And it will serve way more than just Lexington. And that's the idea.
- Your mom was certainly more out in front, but she and your dad were both very involved in giving back to this community. And as a family, you talked a lot about what is the most important thing, and I know that drives you with this.
- Absolutely. The most important thing my father always used to say was the next generation. So, it gives me great, I mean, joy to see that we're going to it's not just my next generation, it's the next generation of Lexingtonians. It's the next generation of Kentuckians.
And that's what Baptist is going to do here, serve the next generation for a long time. And it does give me a lot of joy to see that. ♪ [music]
♪ - Mayor Gorton, this is so exciting. Tell me what this project means to the city of Lexington.
- [Mayor Gorton]
Well, it is exciting, and we are so happy to celebrate this project. This is new jobs coming to Lexington, among other things. And it is high-paying jobs, it's home-grown jobs. And so that's big for us here in Lexington.
And it's also health care, which as we know, is very important.
- Mayor Gorton, Lexington is, of course, already on the map for health care. But how does this new project enhance Lexington's role in health care?
- Well, our health care system, which is very highly regarded, serves not only the Bluegrass and Lexingtonians, but Eastern Kentuckians. And, you know, I'm very proud of the fact that I'm a registered nurse and part of the health care system. And this just elevates us as a hub for good, high-quality health care. And I really have to give kudos to Patrick Madden and to Bill Sisson and to the Baptist Health Board of Directors for their vision.
It's a wonderful vision.
- How is the city involved in this project?
- The city was pretty heavily involved. This project is one where I advocated for tax incentives to bring these jobs to the project. And what that means is that this will be able to be built, the jobs will come and the revenue from those jobs, I think the payroll is estimated to be about $55 million annually. And that means that our citizens can enjoy more services because those moneys come back into the city.
- Baptist Health Lexington, of course, has quite the storied history in the city. Tell us how this new project will enhance that.
- When I read the history of how Baptist Health started, I was really surprised. It was in 1954, I believe, and Baptist leaders had this vision that they wanted health care, Baptist Health Care, and it was it was wonderful how they raised money. They went door to door, they had fundraisers, and then they were able to create Baptist Health. And it's such a wonderful, storied history and is just a high-quality class act for our community.
- Coming up, we're going to talk to Baptist Health Lexington president, Bill Sisson, and get an exclusive look at Baptist Health Hamburg.
- We'll also go in-depth with Dr. Gregory Pass to talk about what a great place it is to work and serve close to home. We will also talk with Lori Mathews of the Baptist Health Foundation. She'll talk about investing in health and healing.
♪ [music]
♪ - So, Bill, we find ourselves in many ways in a quick fix society right now. But your career has been anything but quick. Talk about it.
- [Bill]
Yeah, I started back over 40 years ago when I was working at Western Baptist Hospital, one of our hospitals down in Paducah. That's where I really started my career. And the way I wanted to work in health care was I wanted to work for a hospital or for an organization that used their Christian values in terms of how we care for each other and care for our patients. And when I got to Lexington, I think over 30, 31 years ago, I really felt that we could really do a lot more than we currently did.
We were a much smaller hospital. And when we got there, we had to buy two churches, subdivision. We had to really spend a lot of money being able to expand our footprint in that market. And my vision for the future was to really put the efforts together to build a culture that centers nothing else but around the patient.
And I tell people at the hospital, "Don't worry about the dollars. Let's just take great care of our patients." To do that, the culture has to grow from us. We have to make each other a priority.
We've got to learn to love and care for each other as we all work together. And then if you look at spreading that across the hospital in the future, is that hospital's culture is why we are where we are today. It's because people come in and feel that there's something different about Baptist. And the difference is our doctors, our employees, all of us have committed to doing one thing extremely well, caring and loving our patients.
- You've done that. And as you said, it has created this growth which we'll now see here at Hamburg. What kind of personal feeling does this give you to be at this point with this project?
- Like I told somebody this morning, "You probably see a gleam in my eye." This is something that I have planned on and thought about and envisioned. This is where I think health care is going in the future. It's outpatient driven, but the key to that is to get that same love and caring in that community, which we think will continue to grow faster and faster.
So, this is our phase one, phase two will come along in the future. But right now, putting this out there where 60% of our patients come from is outside of Lexington. This will give us an opportunity to reach those people in that location. ♪ [music]
♪ World-class health care means so much more when you can easily access it. That's why we're excited where Baptist Health Hamburg comes in. Years ago, I realized that the Hamburg area was going to be the epicenter of incredible growth. I knew that as growth continued, there would be a greater need and a desire for the quality, compassionate care that we provide.
We know that over 60% of our patients come from outside of Fayette County, traveling into Lexington city center adds both miles and minutes to their journey. So, we began plans to meet that future need along Lexington's I-64, I-75 corridor. As soon as you walk in the main entrance, you'll be walking by sunlight, open space. Every amenity carefully planned and selected for healing and restoration for both our patients and our loved ones.
Easily accessible at Baptist Health Hamburg will be the emergency department, featuring plenty of parking and a traffic flow design to be fast and efficient. We all know about advances in noninvasive surgery and recovery therapies. Our Ambulatory Surgery Center will provide an outpatient surgical service for those procedures, again in a warm, welcoming space designed both for our patients and their families and our caregivers. Baptist Health Hamburg will also house a cancer center, featuring the very latest therapies, technologies and clinical trials known to medicine, all trained and targeted to fighting cancer in all of its forms.
Baptist Health Hamburg is truly the culmination of a vision to really shorten the distance between the state's premier health care and the Kentuckians who will rely on it. ♪ [music]
♪ - Dr. Repass, tell us a little bit about what you do at Baptist Health Lexington, and why you chose to work there when you probably could have gone anywhere in the country.
- [Dr. Repass]
So, I am a hospitalist, which means I'm an internal medicine physician who works in the hospital, providing primary care different from a usual primary care doctor who works in an office setting. I grew up here in Lexington. I was actually born at Central Baptist Hospital and when I finished my medical training at the University of Kentucky, I went out of state to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for residency. And when I finished there, I looked at opportunities that were available to me and ultimately, I felt compelled to return home to my home community, to my home state, and serve the community there.
When I looked at opportunities, I felt that Baptist Health was the best place for me to provide the clinical excellence and the compassionate care that I was used to and I felt really compelled to bring to my community.
- With this expansion at Hamburg, why is that so exciting? Why is that so important for the future of health care in central Kentucky?
- So it's a great opportunity for our community to have greater bandwidth for health care. And when you think about all of the families in Kentucky that are impacted by this hospital, both as patients but also through their loved ones, as nurses, as physical therapists, as physicians coming to work there and help give back to their community, there's a lot of excitement there. Baptist Health Lexington is a Magnet hospital, which means that we have a nursing-led leadership that work with our physicians to make sure that every individual could benefit from working there as a career, starting at bedside to becoming a leader to impact patients both directly in compassionate, focused care on the patient, as well as at a leadership level, making decisions that impact the community as well as impact care given throughout the hospital.
So I'm excited about how this facility will help Lexington grow. Since my childhood here, Lexington, the eastern part of town, Hamburg has grown significantly and having a cutting-edge health care facility here on this part of town will continue that growth, support its growth and allow for people that I know as friends and my family to be taken care of and your family and your friends as well. It is a great asset to our community for Baptist Health to continue to grow and for the commonwealth to benefit from what all our system has to offer both at a local level and a regional level. ♪ [music]
♪ - Lori Mathews is foundation executive at Baptist Health Lexington. And Lori, why is philanthropy so important for this project?
- [Lori]
Well, Tom, there are so many people across the state of Kentucky and beyond who feel a deep connection to Baptist Health Lexington, who will naturally want to be part of this project. And, you know, philanthropy exists because human kindness exists. There are those people out there who actively look for opportunities to partner and use their resources to make a difference in the lives of others. Projects like Hamburg are special.
And this is the opportunity for people to use their resources to make a difference in the lives of Central and Eastern Kentuckians on a massive scale. You know, every week at the foundation we talk to families and patients who share their stories about that moment in their health care, where their doctors and nurses went beyond the expected in their care. So this is the opportunity to be able to make a gift to your families and neighbors and yourselves, the gift of health care. It's a privilege to know that you can give a gift that will transform lives throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky for many years to come.
- It is generational giving. We hope you'll take advantage of this unique opportunity.
- Well, it's been an extraordinary and a unique groundbreaking for Baptist Health Hamburg.
- We want to thank all of our guests for their insights and expertise into this next-level facility for Central Kentucky health care.
- And we want to thank you, the viewer. After all, you or a loved one may have a medical need in the future that could be served by this new state-of-the-art facility.
- And how good is it to know that there is such quality, compassionate health care close to home? ♪ The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home ♪ ♪ Tis summer, the people are gay ♪ ♪ The corn tops ripe and the meadows in the bloom ♪ ♪ While the birds make music all the day ♪ ♪ The young folks roll on the little cabin floor ♪ ♪ all merry, all happy and bright ♪ ♪ By and by hard times comes a knocking at the door ♪ ♪ then my old Kentucky home goodnight ♪ ♪ Weep no more my lady ♪ ♪ Oh, weep no more today ♪ ♪ We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home ♪ ♪ for my old Kentucky home far away ♪ ♪ Oh, weep no more my lady ♪ ♪ Oh, weep no more today ♪ ♪ We will since one song for my old Kentucky home ♪ ♪ for my old Kentucky home far away ♪ - [Kristi]
I'm a lifelong Lexingtonian. In fact, I was born at Central Baptist Hospital, as were both of my daughters. So I'm well aware of the rich tradition Baptist Health Lexington has of quality and compassionate care. It has been such an honor for me to serve as chair of the Baptist Health Lexington Administrative Board and be a part of this expansion process, which will allow so many more people the ability to receive quality health care.
Baptist Health Lexington shines bright in all the communities that we serve. Baptist Health Hamburg will bring hope and healing to many future generations. Thank you for allowing us to serve you and those most precious to you. ♪ [music]
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