LOUISVILLE — UofL Health has opened a new hospital in Bullitt County that it says will help improve access to health care in Kentucky, which suffers from a shortage of medical providers.  

UofL Health’s $78 million South Hospital, which is located off Interstate 65 at Brooks exit 121 has 40 inpatient beds and room for 20 more. 

The new facility, the health system’s ninth hospital, “allows us to serve more patients with world-class and transformative care,” UofL Health CEO Tom Miller said in a statement. 

South Hospital has 10 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. UofL Health says it will be able to provide “enhanced heart care services including cardiac and vascular catheterization” as well as pharmacy services and “increased surgical suites” for both inpatient and outpatient. 

Dorie Shelburne, the new hospital’s CEO, said the positioning of the facility means more patients “will be able to stay close to home and closer to their family” if they need to stay overnight. 

“The need for a full-service hospital in this area is well-documented,” University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel said in a statement. “This remarkable new facility brings together expanded high-quality services and the expertise of an academic medical system. It will allow more of our doctors and nurses to serve the people of Bullitt County and the surrounding community.”

The hospital opening means 150 new jobs as well. Staff anticipate seeing patients from Bullitt, Spencer, Nelson, Meade and Hardin counties as well as from parts of Jefferson. 

Eventually, the Louisville health system hopes to put a new cancer center on the South Hospital campus. It asked the Kentucky Legislature for $25 million to construct that facility. The Senate obliged, but it remains to be seen if the House will concur with the allocation.