Lourdes is Now Mercy Health: New Name – Same Mission

Lourdes has been dedicated to serving our community’s health care needs since 1905.  The healing ministry began as Riverside Hospital in downtown Paducah. In 1959, the Diocese of Owensboro purchased the hospital and in September of that year the Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin, Ohio arrived to manage the facility. With the change in ownership came a new name: Lourdes Hospital in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1973, Lourdes moved from the downtown location to its current location on Lone Oak Road.

Last week, Lourdes announced it has formally changed its name to Mercy Health.  “Our new name represents the way we are working together to improve the health of the communities we serve,” says Michael Yungmann, CEO, Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital and Senior Vice President, Mercy Health. “As part of Mercy Health, we have a lot of support and access across our ministry in terms of sharing best practices, financial resources and expertise to provide the very best of care to all our patients. This gives us access to resources outside our stand-alone hospital and helps us fulfill our Mission.”

As a result of this name change, patients will be able to better identify all Mercy Health’s points of care. The name change unites the hospital, outpatient services, and physician practices under one name: Mercy Health. This helps to assure patients they are part of one network working to coordinate their care for the best possible health outcomes.

“Only our name is changing,” said Leigh Ann Ballegeer, Director of Marketing. “We are still the same team of physicians, nurses, support staff and clinicians working together to provide the level of care that our community has come to know and trust.”

Lourdes has been a part of Mercy Health since 1989 when the hospital entered into a management contract with the health system.  Since Lourdes joined Mercy Health, the hospital has had the opportunity to touch more lives, impact more communities, and improve access to care more than ever before.

Lourdes has experienced much growth over the past few years, including recent advancements in neurosciences (specifically in the area of neurology and neurosurgery) and cancer care, as well as surgical advancements such as robotics and intraoperative radiation therapy. The hospital is also proud of its state-of-the-art Heart and Vascular Institute.

“Our multispecialty physician network is the largest in the region, totaling nearly 150 providers in western Kentucky, nearly 50 of whom are primary care providers,” says Yungmann. “We are proud to be here for our community’s primary care needs, as well as any specialty needs a patient may have. True to our Mission, Mercy Health collectively provides more than $1 million per day in community benefit to those patients who need services but cannot otherwise afford them.”

“I am proud to be part of the Mercy Health system,” concluded Yungmann. “Our Mission continues: to extend the healing ministry of Jesus by improving the health of our communities, with an emphasis on those who are poor and under-served. Mercy Health has a solid foundation, one that began more than 160 years ago. Lourdes is grateful for all our generous donors and all the support we receive from our community partners.  Together we will be a partner in this community for centuries to come.”