Caverna Memorial Hospital, which has served the citizens of Hart and surrounding counties since 1967, will become The Medical Center at Caverna in a move announced today by the hospital and The Medical Center in Bowling Green. The boards of directors for Caverna Memorial Hospital and The Medical Center have agreed to the acquisition by the Bowling Green – Warren County Community Hospital Corporation d/b/a The Medical Center and the transaction should be completed by the end of 2015. With the addition of Caverna Memorial Hospital to its family of hospitals, Commonwealth Health Corporation (CHC), the parent company of The Medical Center, will operate five acute care hospitals in Southcentral Kentucky and will employ over 3,300 healthcare workers with a medical staff that includes over 300 physicians.
Caverna Memorial Hospital is a 25-bed, not-for-profit critical access hospital which has remained an independent hospital since it was established by local residents 48 years ago. “Significant regulatory changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act and payment reform at the federal and state level make it increasingly difficult for small rural hospitals to remain independent,” said Alan Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of Caverna Memorial Hospital. “We are very proud of our heritage at Caverna Memorial Hospital and becoming a part of The Medical Center will allow us to raise the bar even further in terms of quality healthcare and expand our services to the community,” added Alexander.
The Medical Center is a 337-bed, not-for-profit regional referral hospital located in Bowling Green. “We are honored to have been invited into the Hart County community by the board of directors and management team of Caverna Memorial Hospital,” stated Connie Smith, President and CEO of The Medical Center and CHC. “I am so impressed with the staff I have met at the hospital. Their dedication and commitment to patients is evident in all that they do. Together, we will further our mission to care for people and improve the quality of life in the communities we serve,” added Smith.
