Lexington Regional Health Center, formerly Tri-County Hospital, opened in September of 1976. The hospital began with 40 beds. Lexington Regional Health Center is a political subdivision, now 25-bed critical access hospital offering inpatient, outpatient, surgical, emergency and obstetric services. The hospital is operated by a five-member board whose members are elected by the hospital district.
Lexington Regional expanded its services with the opening of a walk-in Urgent Care in September 2011. Care was added to Lexington Regional’s array of services so that people would have access to non-emergency medical attention after regular office hours. It also provides a less costly alternative to a typical Emergency Room visit.
In May 2013, Lexington Regional starting offering on-site emergency room coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Lexington Regional's success is based on its commitment to quality physician leadership allowing physicians to provide evidence-based care in a cost effective manner. The positive impact has been seen in Lexington Regional's most recent overall ratings of the Emergency Department.
In April of 2014, Lexington Regional Health Center broke ground on what is now the Outpatient Services Center. All aspects of the patient and visitor experience were enhanced through a complete transformation of the dining area, renovation of all patient rooms to private rooms and the construction of a new Outpatient Services Center. The Outpatient Services Center includes: 16 exam rooms to serve as a central location for all visiting specialists, three new operating rooms with state-of-the art technology, two endoscopy procedure rooms, nine pre and post operation recovery rooms, four post-surgery rooms, telemedicine capabilities and an expanded and comfortable waiting room for family and friends. The project added an additional 31,000 square feet, with more than 23,000 existing square footage that was renovated. The project also included major upgrades to the mechanical, electrical and air-handling systems. Additionally, the front entrance and main lobby were renovated. These changes allowed the hospital to meet its core mission of providing high-quality, accessible and cost-effective health care. This was achieved without levying any tax or directly increasing hospital charges for patients.
Across the nation, the health care delivery system is becoming more integrated. Health care providers, private clinics, and hospitals work closely with one another to coordinate care. In July 2014, Lexington Regional Health Center opened Family Medicine Specialists, the hospital-owned clinic, and began employing their own providers to offer primary care for the community. Family Medicine Specialists has since been designated as a Rural Health Clinic. Lexington Regional is also currently engaged in recruitment efforts to secure additional providers.
In March 2016, Lexington Regional expanded services to the Elwood community and opened another Rural Health Clinic. Lexington Regional has diligently worked to expand the orthopedic service line, which includes the prestigious Rural Partners of Medicine (RPM). Lexington recruited two orthopedic surgeons, began an orthopedic clinic and is expanding the sports medicine offerings as well. In addition, Lexington Regional has recruited a Spine Surgeon and Urologist.
A strong local hospital is vital to a community’s economic well-being. Through dedication to improved, educated health for Lexington and the surrounding areas, the hospital has impacted the state and local economy by $55,762,552 in 2017 alone according to a study by IMPLAN. That means local businesses such as contractors, restaurants and hotels, entertainment, grocery and retail stores, all indirectly benefit from a viable local hospital. The economic impact continues to increase as new opportunities arise and Lexington Regional will continue to make progressive changes in the future.
As the end of 2018 draws nearer, Lexington Regional continues to provide rural access to care. The addition of the Bertrand clinic, which opened September 10, 2018, will help offer convenient care to another great rural community! To meet the demands of an ever-growing and important field of health, Lexington Regional has contracted an experienced interventional pain management doctor, creating the new Pain Management Services.
While the landscape of healthcare continues to evolve, patient care and quality health outcomes will always be the priority at Lexington Regional. Study after study shows that happy employees tend to provide better health care. Lexington Regional has been honored to receive one of the most distinguished employment awards in healthcare – Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work 2018. Lexington Regional’s commitment to optimizing the health of patients and community has also been recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, designating Lexington Regional Health Center as a 5-Star hospital in 2017. We hope that our dedication to a health care and excellence in service leads to a better patient experience and a strong, flourishing community.
Since 1976, Lexington Regional Health Center has had the honor to serve the needs of the area and we will continue to do so with the help of our Board of Directors, administration, staff, community partners and patients. Lexington Regional continues to provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare, offer state-of-the-art technology and recruit healthcare professionals. These advancements will progress the health care opportunities available to those in our community and surrounding areas by providing additional services to ensure everyone has access to superior care close to home. Thank you for choosing Lexington Regional Health Center as your health care provider of choice. We look forward to meeting and exceeding you needs both now and in the future, because together we are building a brighter future.
