Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital is a 214-bed not-for-profit acute care
hospital
located in Ashland, Kentucky
in the Tri-State region of Northeast Kentucky
, Southern Ohio
, and Western West Virginia
. Part of the Catholic-based Bon Secours
Health System Inc., Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital employs approximately 1,200 healthcare professionals, making the hospital the largest employer in Greenup County.
The official dedication of the hospital took place July 14, 1953 and included a reading of a cablegram from Pope Pius XII. It read, "Our Holy Father deeply grateful, learned forthcoming inauguration, Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Ashland, Kentucky, sends cordial felicitations. Invokes God's special blessings, praiseworthy project. Imparts Your Excellency, priests, religious, faithful, and hospital staff, fraternal Apostolic Benediction."
Upon opening, the hospital had 92 beds and 40 bassinets. In March 1956, the road leading to the hospital was blacktopped and during the summer, a new highway, U.S. 23, was laid, thus reducing by about one-third the distance from Ashland to the hospital.
Continued expansion began in 1982 and included a new surgical unit and a seven-bed recovery area. Significant capital improvements took place in 1986 including the opening of a new rehabilitation and wellness center, a kidney dialysis center, a 116-car parking garage and a mental health/chemical dependency center that today operates as the Bellefonte Behavioral Health Center.
A wellness/rehabilitation center called the Vitality Center (now known as the Human Motion Vitality Center) opened in 1992. The center featured an indoor track and rehabilitation-size swimming pool along with a variety of fitness equipment. The hospital opened a 24-bed addition in 1994. The addition created extra patient rooms and meeting space on each of the hospital's four floors. The second floor featured specially designed rooms for oncology treatments.
In 1994, OLBH began an outreach program, opening walk-in primary medical care facilities in several outlying communities. The centers offered many basic services onsite and were designed for non-emergency medical care. The original centers were located in South Shore, Cannonsburg, Grayson and Flatwoods. The areas are still being served today through OLBH’s sister organization, Bellefonte Physician Services. In addition to the original locations, Bellefonte Physician Services today operates primary-care facilities in Ashland and Ironton, Ohio. In 1995, ground was broken for the Same Day Surgery Center which was completed in January 1998.
. OLBH launched a mobile medical facility, known as the OLBH Mobile Health Center, in 2002. In 2004, OLBH became the first tenant of the former Ashland Inc. headquarters building, which was renamed Bellefonte Centre. The hospital would use the building for additional services, hospital departments and events.
In 2005, OLBH introduced the Human Motion concept, an approach to musculoskeletal injuries and orthopedic issues and becomes the area’s first hospital to offer 64-slice CT technology. Also In 2005, OLBH opens its first new services at Bellefonte Centre with the unveiling of the OLBH Diabetes & Wound Care Center in March followed by the area’s first freestanding hospital outpatient imaging center, the OLBH Imaging Center.
In 2007, hospital comparison information released by the federal government establishes OLBH as the Tri-State-area’s leading medical facility in the care of pneumonia and number one in Ashland for two important categories relating to heart failure. Also that year, OLBH unveiled the hospital’s new $2.5 million endoscopy lab, the first phase of a $5 million hospital expansion.
OLBH purchased the Addington Corporate Center located adjacent to Bellefonte Centre in 2008 to use for future growth. The purchase price for the one-time Ashland Oil Petroleum Building was $2.8 million. 2008 was a major expansion year at OLBH, as the hospital unveiled the OLBH Women’s Center, a $1.1 million all-encompassing facility that created a “one stop shop” for area women. The center offers GE Full Field digital mammography, the daily presence of an OLBH surgeon, clinical breast examinations, breast ultrasound, surgical consultations, minimally invasive breast biopsy, a DEXA densitometer to screen for bone density, a retail boutique and a women’s health library. In 2008, the Same Day Surgery Center was renovated, completing a $5 million expansion to increase surgery capacity in addition to a $3.1 million surgery expansion at the hospital which added operating capacity for inpatient surgeries.
Building on its orthopedics reputation, Human Motion OrthoCare opens in Sept. 2008. The new orthopedic unit on the hospital’s fourth floor is dedicated exclusively to the care of orthopedic patients.
In 2009, HealthGrades, a national independent healthcare ratings organization, presented OLBH with its Pulmonary Care Excellence Award. It was the fifth straight year OLBH had received the highest-possible HealthGrades
rating for treatment of pneumonia. OLBH’s HealthGrades rankings were best in the Huntington, W.Va./Ashland, Ky. area for pulmonary care and the hospital ranked among the top ten percent of hospitals nationwide in pulmonary care for six consecutive years. OLBH has received five-star distinction for treatment of pneumonia for eight straight years.
In 2009, OLBH received a five-star rating for treatment of heart attack for the third straight year. Additionally, the hospital received these top quality ratings for treatment of respiratory failure and sepsis, a critical bloodstream infection. Five-star distinction also was granted OLBH in gastrointestinal surgery and procedures. OLBH is ranked in the top five in the state of Kentucky for both gastrointestinal surgery and services.
OLBH received HealthGrades’ Outstanding Patient Experience Award in the first year it was awarded in 2009 and received it again for the 2009/10 year. The distinction indicates a hospital is among the nation’s top 15 percent in patient experience. To identify the top-performing hospitals, HealthGrades analyzed survey results for hospitals nationwide that participated in a federal initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. OLBH received the Patient Experience Award for the third straight year for 2010/11. That year, OLBH ranked among the top five percent in the nation for patient experience based on an analysis of patient surveys from 3,775 hospitals. OLBH was one of only two hospitals in the state of Kentucky to rank among the top five percent nationally.
Acute care
Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery...
hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
located in Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
in the Tri-State region of Northeast 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...
, Southern 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 Western West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Part of the Catholic-based Bon Secours
Bon Secours Sisters
Congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours is a Roman Catholic religious congregation for nursing , whose object is to care for patients from all socio-economic groups...
Health System Inc., Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital employs approximately 1,200 healthcare professionals, making the hospital the largest employer in Greenup County.
Early history
The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, a congregation of Catholic sisters, received repeated requests from residents of different parts of Kentucky during the 1950s to open a hospital or social service center. In 1953 a group of concerned citizens approached the Most Reverend William T. Malloy, Bishop of Covington, and asked for his help in creating a new hospital called Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH). Construction started in 1952 on a 31 acres (125,452.7 m²) tract, four miles (6 km) from downtown Ashland, Ky. At the time, the tract only was accessible by a small dirt road.The official dedication of the hospital took place July 14, 1953 and included a reading of a cablegram from Pope Pius XII. It read, "Our Holy Father deeply grateful, learned forthcoming inauguration, Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Ashland, Kentucky, sends cordial felicitations. Invokes God's special blessings, praiseworthy project. Imparts Your Excellency, priests, religious, faithful, and hospital staff, fraternal Apostolic Benediction."
Upon opening, the hospital had 92 beds and 40 bassinets. In March 1956, the road leading to the hospital was blacktopped and during the summer, a new highway, U.S. 23, was laid, thus reducing by about one-third the distance from Ashland to the hospital.
Growth through the Years
In 1963, a fund-raising project was initiated for expansion including additional beds for adult patients, a pediatric unit, and an air-conditioning unit for an additional floor. The fourth floor addition was completed in 1966 and brought the hospital's bed capacity to 126 with 22 pediatric beds and 19 medical-surgical beds. In the late 1970s the emergency room began serving patients 24 hours a day. The third floor of the hospital was renovated and the first Intensive/Coronary Care Unit opened in 1979. In 1981, expansion provided new areas for the Emergency Room, Radiology, Laboratory, Physical Therapy and Respiratory Therapy. OLBH’s first chemical dependency program was established Dec. 21, 1981.Continued expansion began in 1982 and included a new surgical unit and a seven-bed recovery area. Significant capital improvements took place in 1986 including the opening of a new rehabilitation and wellness center, a kidney dialysis center, a 116-car parking garage and a mental health/chemical dependency center that today operates as the Bellefonte Behavioral Health Center.
A wellness/rehabilitation center called the Vitality Center (now known as the Human Motion Vitality Center) opened in 1992. The center featured an indoor track and rehabilitation-size swimming pool along with a variety of fitness equipment. The hospital opened a 24-bed addition in 1994. The addition created extra patient rooms and meeting space on each of the hospital's four floors. The second floor featured specially designed rooms for oncology treatments.
In 1994, OLBH began an outreach program, opening walk-in primary medical care facilities in several outlying communities. The centers offered many basic services onsite and were designed for non-emergency medical care. The original centers were located in South Shore, Cannonsburg, Grayson and Flatwoods. The areas are still being served today through OLBH’s sister organization, Bellefonte Physician Services. In addition to the original locations, Bellefonte Physician Services today operates primary-care facilities in Ashland and Ironton, Ohio. In 1995, ground was broken for the Same Day Surgery Center which was completed in January 1998.
Expansion in the Modern Era
In 1999 the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Health System announced plans to disband. In 2000, OLBH was purchased by the Bon Secours Health System, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland. OLBH introduced the Ashland-area's first sleep lab in 2002. In an effort to assist in training physicians, OLBH began a resident program in 2002 in conjunction with the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic MedicinePikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine
The University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine is an academic division of University of Pikeville, a private college located in Pikeville, Kentucky, which grants the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree...
. OLBH launched a mobile medical facility, known as the OLBH Mobile Health Center, in 2002. In 2004, OLBH became the first tenant of the former Ashland Inc. headquarters building, which was renamed Bellefonte Centre. The hospital would use the building for additional services, hospital departments and events.
In 2005, OLBH introduced the Human Motion concept, an approach to musculoskeletal injuries and orthopedic issues and becomes the area’s first hospital to offer 64-slice CT technology. Also In 2005, OLBH opens its first new services at Bellefonte Centre with the unveiling of the OLBH Diabetes & Wound Care Center in March followed by the area’s first freestanding hospital outpatient imaging center, the OLBH Imaging Center.
In 2007, hospital comparison information released by the federal government establishes OLBH as the Tri-State-area’s leading medical facility in the care of pneumonia and number one in Ashland for two important categories relating to heart failure. Also that year, OLBH unveiled the hospital’s new $2.5 million endoscopy lab, the first phase of a $5 million hospital expansion.
OLBH purchased the Addington Corporate Center located adjacent to Bellefonte Centre in 2008 to use for future growth. The purchase price for the one-time Ashland Oil Petroleum Building was $2.8 million. 2008 was a major expansion year at OLBH, as the hospital unveiled the OLBH Women’s Center, a $1.1 million all-encompassing facility that created a “one stop shop” for area women. The center offers GE Full Field digital mammography, the daily presence of an OLBH surgeon, clinical breast examinations, breast ultrasound, surgical consultations, minimally invasive breast biopsy, a DEXA densitometer to screen for bone density, a retail boutique and a women’s health library. In 2008, the Same Day Surgery Center was renovated, completing a $5 million expansion to increase surgery capacity in addition to a $3.1 million surgery expansion at the hospital which added operating capacity for inpatient surgeries.
Building on its orthopedics reputation, Human Motion OrthoCare opens in Sept. 2008. The new orthopedic unit on the hospital’s fourth floor is dedicated exclusively to the care of orthopedic patients.
Today
In 2008, OLBH received four five-star distinctions from the independent Professional Research Consultants (PRC.) The five-star patient satisfaction honors indicates ranking in the top 10 percent in the US. The following year, in addition to two patient satisfaction honors, the hospital received four five-star and four four-star awards from PRC based on physician satisfaction scores.In 2009, HealthGrades, a national independent healthcare ratings organization, presented OLBH with its Pulmonary Care Excellence Award. It was the fifth straight year OLBH had received the highest-possible HealthGrades
HealthGrades
HealthGrades Inc. is a U.S. company that develops and markets quality and safety ratings of health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, physicians and dentists. Quality ratings are devised from publicly available patient safety data and analyzed with proprietary technology developed...
rating for treatment of pneumonia. OLBH’s HealthGrades rankings were best in the Huntington, W.Va./Ashland, Ky. area for pulmonary care and the hospital ranked among the top ten percent of hospitals nationwide in pulmonary care for six consecutive years. OLBH has received five-star distinction for treatment of pneumonia for eight straight years.
In 2009, OLBH received a five-star rating for treatment of heart attack for the third straight year. Additionally, the hospital received these top quality ratings for treatment of respiratory failure and sepsis, a critical bloodstream infection. Five-star distinction also was granted OLBH in gastrointestinal surgery and procedures. OLBH is ranked in the top five in the state of Kentucky for both gastrointestinal surgery and services.
OLBH received HealthGrades’ Outstanding Patient Experience Award in the first year it was awarded in 2009 and received it again for the 2009/10 year. The distinction indicates a hospital is among the nation’s top 15 percent in patient experience. To identify the top-performing hospitals, HealthGrades analyzed survey results for hospitals nationwide that participated in a federal initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. OLBH received the Patient Experience Award for the third straight year for 2010/11. That year, OLBH ranked among the top five percent in the nation for patient experience based on an analysis of patient surveys from 3,775 hospitals. OLBH was one of only two hospitals in the state of Kentucky to rank among the top five percent nationally.