Ireland Army Community Hospital
Encyclopedia
The earliest hospital at Fort Knox
Kentucky, was a World War I
cantonment building, constructed in 1918 on the site of the Lindsey Golf Course. When the facility burned in 1928, medical services moved to the World War I
guesthouse on Bullion Boulevard until a brick hospital was built in 1934 on E Street. In 1940, two mobilization hospitals were constructed along Dixie Street, and were used until the current multi-storied concrete structure opened in 1957.
The current hospital facility was named in honor of Major General
Merritte W. Ireland
, a surgeon
and U.S. Army Surgeon General from October 30, 1918 to May 31, 1931.
The hospital today is a 462000 square feet (42,921.2 m²), 76-bed JCAHO-accredited facility. Major services include general medical and surgical care, adult and pediatric
primary care
clinics, 24-hour Emergency department
, specialty clinics, clinical services, wellness and prevention services, and a VA clinic
. Remote on-post clinics include the Aviation Medical Clinic, One Stop Medical, Nelson Troop Medical Clinic, Reception Medical Processing, and the RCF Clinic.
The activity is the center of a larger area of responsibility which serves an isolated active duty population in Illinois
, Indiana
, Kentucky
, Michigan
, Ohio
, and Wisconsin
. Off-post clinics in this six-state area include Bluegrass Army Depot, Camp Atterbury Troop Medical Clinic, Fort McCoy
Troop Medical Clinic, Rock Island Health Clinic, and Selfridge Health Clinic.
The hospital was slated to lose its inpatient facilities as a result of BRAC 2005
, but was removed from the list when panel members raised concerns about the distance soldiers and their families would have to travel to receive inpatient medical care.
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
Kentucky, was a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
cantonment building, constructed in 1918 on the site of the Lindsey Golf Course. When the facility burned in 1928, medical services moved to the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
guesthouse on Bullion Boulevard until a brick hospital was built in 1934 on E Street. In 1940, two mobilization hospitals were constructed along Dixie Street, and were used until the current multi-storied concrete structure opened in 1957.
The current hospital facility was named in honor of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Merritte W. Ireland
Merritte W. Ireland
Merritte Weber Ireland was the 23rd U.S. Army Surgeon General, serving in that capacity from October 4, 1918 to May 31, 1931,...
, a surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and U.S. Army Surgeon General from October 30, 1918 to May 31, 1931.
The hospital today is a 462000 square feet (42,921.2 m²), 76-bed JCAHO-accredited facility. Major services include general medical and surgical care, adult and pediatric
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
primary care
Primary care
Primary care is the term for the health services by providers who act as the principal point of consultation for patients within a health care system...
clinics, 24-hour Emergency department
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
, specialty clinics, clinical services, wellness and prevention services, and a VA clinic
Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of numerous VA outpatient clinics,...
. Remote on-post clinics include the Aviation Medical Clinic, One Stop Medical, Nelson Troop Medical Clinic, Reception Medical Processing, and the RCF Clinic.
The activity is the center of a larger area of responsibility which serves an isolated active duty population in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Off-post clinics in this six-state area include Bluegrass Army Depot, Camp Atterbury Troop Medical Clinic, Fort McCoy
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
Fort McCoy is an active United States Army installation. It is located on 60,000 acres between Sparta and Tomah, Wisconsin, in Monroe County...
Troop Medical Clinic, Rock Island Health Clinic, and Selfridge Health Clinic.
The hospital was slated to lose its inpatient facilities as a result of BRAC 2005
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
, but was removed from the list when panel members raised concerns about the distance soldiers and their families would have to travel to receive inpatient medical care.