The Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce held its monthly luncheon on Nov. 18, featuring Baptist Health Corbin President Angelia Foster as the guest speaker. Foster shared personal reflections on her first year in Corbin and provided an update on the hospital’s ongoing $100 million campus renovation and expansion.
When reflecting on the past year, Foster said she immediately connected with the community.
“This year, being here with my team and this community, I feel like I’ve come home,” said Foster, sharing that the job allowed her to appreciate her Appalachian heritage more and connect more with her family.
The expansion project for Baptist Health Corbin has been a decade-long dream, but it began in May of this year, and the team hopes to complete it and keep it under budget in the summer of 2027.
A timeline of key milestones from Foster’s presentation indicated that groundbreaking began in May, and a Rebar Milestone was reached in Sept., when the foundation took shape. A topping-out ceremony is planned soon, during which they will place the final beam, and a celebration will take place in Nov. of 2026.
Foster began showcasing mock videos and images of the expansion project plans.
“They thought of every single thing that would make this easier, more comfortable, more inviting, more homey, for all of you,” said Foster. “It’s a beautiful space that would give you privacy, space, and comfort. And, you know, our mission hasn’t changed. This is just going to give us more space to be able to do that.”
When planning with her team on project priorities, Foster listened to community concerns about the hospital.
The first concern she frequently hears about is having to share rooms with a stranger.
“This new renovation will allow us to move about 95 percent of our campus to private rooms,” said Foster. “It gives you the privacy you need, and also allows your family to stay with you.”
The two rooms that will not be considered “private” are the rehab space and the behavioral health space, stating that those rooms are great to have roommates because they encourage and support one another.
According to Foster, the hospital currently has only one nurse station in the ER. The expansion project video showcased one of four nurse stations in the ER. These nurse stations will be closer to patients.
The emergency care will feature 35 patient rooms, including three trauma suites.
Currently, they only have one trauma suite. They will have an on-site CT scanner for faster diagnosis.
“We’re not trauma-designated. We need in our community for us to be trauma designated,” said Foster. “If you are trauma-designated, it helps us get you to trauma level one faster and more efficiently. We built the rooms exactly the same as they do at trauma level one facilities.”
Foster noted they are seeking trauma level four, and asked attendees to pray for them on Dec. 10 because they have surveys that day. If everything goes well, they will be designated in Jan. of 2026.
The other concern Foster wanted to prioritize is wait time in the ER, noting that the complaint likely reflects members of the community feeling like Baptist Health Corbin doesn’t see or hear them.
“We do see you and we do hear you,” said Foster, saying they are being intentional about that, and partnering with TeamHealth to ensure they will have enough doctors to support.
Currently, they have a 10-bed ICU and are expanding to 24 beds, with bathrooms and showers.
“We don’t think people should have to go to Lexington to receive more advanced care,” said Foster, making efforts to ensure that critical-need patients can be in their community and have resources here at home.
In closing, Foster thanked the community for their support.
“I just want to say thank you for enthusiastically and patiently joining us in our transformation journey,” said Foster. “Your trust, your love, your prayers, your financial giving, and the support. It’s appreciated, and we hope that you feel it reciprocated back to you any and every time you have to walk through our doors. We are really blessed to be part of the Corbin community and the Southern Kentucky Chamber.”
Executive Director Bruce Carpenter invited attendees at Tuesday’s luncheon to head over to the Fairfield by Marriott hotel located directly beside the Corbin Center.
To see photos from inside the new hotel facility, see the photo package below.
