New OMHS Hospital Groundbreaking Saturday, June 5th

OWENSBORO, Ky., June 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Owensboro Medical Health System will officially break ground for its 447-bed replacement hospital June 5th with a 5K Walk-Run, activities for families and a ceremony that includes participation from OMHS Board of Directors, employees, physicians, several community groups and elected officials, including US Rep. Brett Guthrie.

The state-of-the-art facility will continue to grow as a regional hub for medical treatment, serving patients living in more than 11 counties in Kentucky and Indiana when it opens in 2013. It will feature elements that promote wellness as a lifestyle, designed from ideas gathered from hospital and community groups.

"Thousands of patients, employees, physicians and members of the community have attended forums, sent emails and participated on patient experience teams to help us develop a facility that will provide an ideal environment for patient care," said Jeff Barber, president & CEO. "We thank them and the OMHS Board of Directors and the many local, state and federal officials who have labored with us to arrive at this point."

Beginning the day with an activity to promote health, OMHS invites the community to participate in a 5K Walk-Run starting at the current hospital (Parrish Avenue) and ending at the new hospital construction site (Pleasant Valley Road). There is no fee to participate. Registration begins at 7 a.m. in the parking lot at the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center and the walk-run begins at 8 a.m. All walkers and runners will receive free t-shirts and a complimentary breakfast at course-end.

Activities start at the new hospital site at 8:30 a.m. and include a concert by the Owensboro Community Band, inflatables and multiple activities for the entire family.  HealthPark personal trainers and aerobics instructors will lead group exercise sessions including Pilates, Zumba, Boot Camp and Yoga as well as family games such as cornhole and a whiffle ball contest. Free refreshments will be served throughout the morning. Shuttle service from nearby parking lots will run continuously from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. to transport guests to and from the hospital construction site.

Awards begin at 10:00 a.m. to recognize winners from the walk-run and the Community Challenge, a six-week event that included more than 110 teams competing for $5,000 in grants and prizes. The official groundbreaking ceremony will take place from 10:15-11:00 a.m., followed by activities and games continuing until noon. The community is invited to attend the morning-long celebration. A complete schedule of events can be found online at omhs.org.

Owensboro Medical Health System serves an eleven-county region in western Kentucky and southern Indiana. The hospital has received awards for clinical excellence and patient safety from HealthGrades, placing it among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for quality (OMHS is one of only 74 hospitals to receive both honors). OMHS also operates the HealthPark—a medical-based fitness center—and a number of clinics and diagnostic centers in Beaver Dam (KY) and Tell City (IN) as well as The Clinic at Wal-Mart in Owensboro, Henderson (KY) and Newburgh (IN).  

SOURCE Owensboro Medical Health System