UK HealthCare has called off plans to build a community hospital in the Hamburg area of Lexington, Ky., a spokesperson for the health system confirmed to Becker's.
The focus of the proposed hospital was to provide community care, not specialty care, which is "not what our clinical partners expect of UK HealthCare," Mark Birdwhistell, senior vice president for health and public policy for the system, said at a July 17 state budget review meeting, according to NPR affiliate WEKU. "They expect that we should be providing advanced care, high end cancer care, not routine hip replacement and procedures like that."
UK HealthCare said it will use the land it acquired last year to build an outpatient medical office building instead of a hospital. It is also in the process of opening other ambulatory sites across central Kentucky.
"The MOB, along with these new regional ambulatory sites, will provide new access to care for UK's own team members, their families and their neighbors closer to home," the health system said in a statement.
The MOB is anticipated to provide specialty care in areas that may include cancer and orthopedic care, according to WEKU. UK Healthcare is seeking a partner to help finance, build and potentially manage the new facilities.
The health system recently revamped its strategic plan to instead focus on expanding its existing academic medical center — UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital — on its campus.
Albert B. Chandler Hospital is undergoing a $2.4 billion expansion that will add about 300 beds, a new hospital tower and four outpatient locations in the area. It is also expanding several services at Chandler Hospital and Kentucky Children's.
Earlier this month, UK HealthCare acquired St. Claire HealthCare, one of the largest employers in Morehead, Ky., with more than 1,300 staff. St. Claire includes a 139-bed hospital, seven primary care facilities, two urgent care centers, a multispecialty pavilion, a retail pharmacy and home health and hospice services.