LOUISVILLE, Ky. — University of Louisville Health’s Mary & Elizabeth Hospital is celebrating 150 years of serving South Louisville and reducing health care disparities.
The hospital was founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in 1874 after the Civil War and offers a full range of services including vascular, orthopedic, cardiac, neurological, surgical, rehabilitation and 24/7 emergency services, and is the only hospital in the area west of I-65.
“Mary & Elizabeth Hospital has reinvented health care in south Louisville through its commitment to the community,” said University of Louisville Medicine CEO Tom Miller. “We pay tribute to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth who founded the hospital and commend the leaders, physicians, staff and community members who continue University of Louisville Medicine’s mission to positively impact the lives of patients.”
The hospital’s recent accomplishments include partnering with sister facility, University of Louisville Health’s Peace Hospital, to open a voluntary inpatient medical detox unit to treat patients with substance use disorders, adding a community pharmacy, opening a women’s health center, and opening a $20 million addition to “The Birthing Place,” bringing birthing services back to South Louisville for the first time in nearly 50 years.
“After more than 25 years dedicated to treating patients at Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, I can confidently say that the hospital is a pillar of quality health care for the people of South Louisville,” said Jeff Graves, chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health’s Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. “For 150 years, we have built trusting relationships with our patients, who have agreed to entrust us with their lives. Putting the patient first and focusing on their needs is what Mary & Elizabeth is all about.”
University of Louisville Health said the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth continue to help patients today and that it values their tradition of care and compassion for those who remain invested in the hospital’s mission.
“The success of Mary & Elizabeth Hospital would not be possible without the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the compassionate clinicians and civic leaders who support the patient-centered care we provide in South Louisville,” said Elea Fox, vice president of University of Louisville Health Philanthropy. “This generosity and support propels the hospital toward continued medical advancements.”
Mary & Elizabeth Hospital is also home to UofL Health – Weight Loss Care, the region’s only weight-loss management program utilizing the Lap-Band system, recognized as one of the first medical facilities in the nation to earn the Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery, and is home to the Center for Healthy Lifestyles.
The hospital will host a community event to celebrate the anniversary at noon on Saturday, July 20, which will also include the unveiling of a timeline exhibit looking back at the hospital’s history, according to UofL Health, which added that it encourages patients, physicians, volunteers and employees to share their favorite stories about the hospital and check out the digital timeline.
