LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s only weeks away from the new Norton West Louisville Hospital officially opening to the public. It will be the first hospital to be built west of Ninth Street in more than 150 years.
To kick off Norton’s “Community Week,” they’ll be doing community tours, where over 600 people will get to see inside of the new facility before it opens.
Rev. Valerie Washington got one of the first looks inside the nearly completed hospital. Washington says she used to be a chaplain for Norton Hospital.
“It’s nothing what we would’ve expected. Because at first I was kind of, you know, iffy about it because you talked about the number of rooms and you wanted it to be larger. But after touring this facility, I think it’s going to be a wonderful place to be able to go to,” said Washington.
Washington says she is amazed at the technology and amenities.
“Audubon, downtown and Brownsboro. And this facility beats them all. The technology, the room space, being able to, if you’re in the hospital, to look out the green space,” Washington noted.
Chief Administrative Officer Corenza Townsend says this hospital was built by the community. It’s where the community will work, and where the community will get help and care.
“We talk about the health disparity between west Louisville and east Louisville. We’re talking about 10- to 15-year difference. I’d like to see us close that gap. The biggest measurement of change will be less visits to the emergency department for primary care reasons. And that will shift over into the specialist and primary care spaces in this office,” said Townsend.
The West Louisville Hospital will have 20 beds and a 24/7 emergency department.
“Women’s surgery, we will do orthopedics, we’ll do some general surgery, we do some scopes,” said Townsend.
The hospital will also include a retail pharmacy, local artwork, and a Dare To Care Food Pantry. Washington believes It will serve exactly what the West End needs
“The West End doesn’t have to be a dump. Different things that the other hospitals don’t have, this hospital has thought about it. So it’s what we needed and it’s what I know we wanted,” said Washington.
Washington says she wants to see the hospital grow and she can’t wait to come to west Louisville for all her health care needs. Norton West Louisville Hospital will be open to the public on Nov. 11. Norton West Louisville Hospital’s “Community Week” will culminate Saturday, Oct. 26 with a block party and the unveiling of a historical monument.
Norton West Louisville Hospital is still hiring.