Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health recently completed its Onward as One campaign, the largest fundraising effort in system history, raising $125.8 million from more than 7,000 individual donors.
The funds are being used to support initiatives addressing community needs across the system's 10 hospitals and more than 470 points of care, with a focus on improving access, CEO Gerard Colman, PhD, told Becker's.
Since the campaign began in 2020, Baptist Health has opened new facilities and expanded services, with donations directed toward initiatives within the communities where the funds were raised.
Key expansions
"At Baptist Health Hardin, we opened a medical pavilion, which is the largest expansion in the hospital's history," Dr. Colman said, adding that the pavilion in Elizabethtown, Ky., included physician offices, new surgical suites and expanded cancer care. "Hardin County is one of the quickest growing populous areas in the state of Kentucky, so it's very exciting that we're able to meet those community needs."
The system opened Baptist Health Hamburg in Lexington, Ky., a comprehensive outpatient center offering cancer and cardiovascular care, imaging, orthopedic services and an emergency department. The funds also supported orthopedic and cardiovascular facility expansions at Baptist Health Louisville, which was designed to enhance capacity and provide more timely care, Dr. Colman said.
In Western Kentucky, Baptist Health Paducah expanded its maternal care department, with a new urology clinic and catheterization labs.
Additionally, Baptist Health plans to build a hospital in Crestwood, Ky.
Behavioral health initiatives
Community health needs assessments conducted every three years in all 10 markets played a key role in identifying expansion priorities.
"Unfortunately, mental health and addiction have trended in those community needs assessments," Dr. Colman said. In response, Baptist Health opened two inpatient behavioral health units in La Grange, Ky., and Richmond, Ky.
"It's something that we need to do a much better job on in the healthcare community," he said. "Everyone talks about behavioral health, but it's up to us to do something about it."
Future growth
As Baptist Health enters its 101st year providing care, the system remains focused on meeting growing demands, which includes recruitment of physicians, nurses and clinicians to meet a range of needs, Dr. Colman said.
"Our mission and values have not changed in those 100 years," he said. "We've accelerated the pace of change to offer higher quality care and better outcomes to the community, really focusing on patient experience, which is the No. 1 need around access."