Baptist Health cuts ribbon on new Hamburg location

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Baptist Health is expanding to Lexington’s Hamburg area. They announced the project back in 2019. Now, the $253 million development is complete and just a few days from its grand opening.

On Saturday, they cut the ribbon on the new location and invited the public to tour the facility.

“The Baptist story is one that spans generations,” said WKYT Anchor Dave Baker.

“This is a $253 million facility. It’s been years in the making and it’s going to change how patients and families access care in central and eastern Kentucky,” said president of Baptist Health Lexington, Christopher Roty.

The hospital is conveniently located near I-75 and I-64, making it easier for out of town patients to visit.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton says the new facility will also support the city’s economy, creating hundreds of new jobs. The Hamburg location currently employs 300 people, but with plans to expand in the future, their goal is to employ around 700.

“This development is not only bringing new jobs to our community, but new revenues that will help continue to build our quality of life and maintain our low cost of living,” said Mayor Gorton.

Members of the community were invited to tour the new location. Many of them have personal stories about being Baptist Health patients, including Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman.

“It was just two months after Governor Beshear and I won our first election in 2019 that I became the highest elected woman in Kentucky’s history to give birth while in office, and I did it at Baptist Health,” said Coleman.

Coleman says from delivering babies, to making sure their mothers get to watch them grow up, the members of the Baptist Health team are more than deserving of the title “healthcare heroes.”

“To the doctors and nurses, administrators, custodial staff and all of the future employees here, for the lives that you’ll change, for the long hours that you will put in, and the compassion and the service and the sacrifice that you will provide in this space. Thank you,” said Coleman.

Baptist Health Hamburg will be open for care on Monday. The facility includes an ambulatory surgery center, an emergency department, a cancer center, specialty care, and a multistory physician office complex.