Jennie Stuart has been a critical asset for our region for 110 years, both as a destination for patients seeking care and as a home for practicing physicians that grew up in this community. As someone born and raised in Hopkinsville, I’ve had the honor of serving my career as a primary care physician here in my hometown and of having the privilege of serving as the Chief Medical Officer of Jennie Stuart Health for the past five years.
After careful and thoughtful deliberation over the past year, Jennie Stuart Health is exploring a potential merger with Deaconess Health. This decision was the result of an extensive evaluation and a deep consideration of what is best for our community.
Deaconess Health shares our values and our culture of community-based care. They recognize the unique spirit of Hopkinsville and are committed to preserving the personal touch that defines our hospital. By joining forces, we will gain access to advanced technology and financial resources that will dramatically enhance our ability to serve you.
You may have seen recent letters sharing perspectives from Jennie Stuart’s Dr. Kabithe and Dr. Parrent about the technology enhancements that would improve our health system.
For our patients, a transaction with Deaconess would mean:
Best possible care for our patients
Deaconess would provide us the funds needed to upgrade to a best-in-class electronic health record system by migrating us to the EPIC platform. Our nurses and physicians will be using the premier IT health platform in the country, allowing us to improve how we coordinate care and access patient information securely and efficiently while dramatically enhancing patient care and safety.
Expanded capabilities and lines of care
Deaconess will maintain all our current services and offerings while expanding our capabilities, bringing in more specialists and offering treatments that might have previously required you to travel outside our community.
Greater impact through Jennie Stuart’s philanthropic initiatives
Of the $95-million-dollar commitment to the Hopkinsville community, Deaconess intends to allocate $5 million to the Jennie Stuart Health Foundation. This meaningful investment in the Foundation will secure the future of programs like the Tree of Life, which provides critical funding for local cancer patients, and Operation Love, which supports Jennie Stuart employees in overcoming unexpected financial hardship.
What will not change
Equally important to our next chapter is what will not change. Deaconess is a likeminded non-profit healthcare system that understands the critical role we’ve played in our region. In many ways, Jennie Stuart will continue to operate as we do today while being better able to provide a higher standard of care for our patients. This decision is made with one goal in mind: to strengthen Jennie Stuart Health so we can better meet your healthcare needs now and in the future. We are committed to remaining a cornerstone of Hopkinsville, continuing to provide compassionate, high-quality care for all our neighbors.
Thank you for your trust and support. I am confident that together, we can embrace this opportunity to enhance the healthcare services our community deserves.
Dr. Keith Toms is chief medical officer for Jennie Stuart Health.
