Baptist Health ER, urgent care center set to open in Jeffersontown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Baptist Health is preparing to open its first emergency room and urgent care facility in Kentucky.

Baptist Health ER and Urgent Care Blankenbaker is set to open April 3 on Bluegrass Parkway in Jeffersontown.

The facility will house care for emergencies like strokes and heart attacks as well as non-emergencies like minor illnesses and injuries.

Each patient will be seen by an ER-trained physician who determines the level of care needed.

"Certainly, if folks are not sure, if there's any doubt, we can take care of people right here, anything from a fairly minor condition that will likely be of an urgent care service level. We can do that here," said Jody Prather, chief strategy and marketing officer for Baptist Health. "But those sicker patients that think they need emergency department care, we absolutely can do that right here at this location as well."

Intuitive Health is a health care provider working with Baptist Health to provide a dual model of care that combines emergency and urgent care services. Thom Herrmann, the chief operating officer for the company, said having both options available is an advantage to the patient, because about 40% of people who show up to a hospital ER don't actually need emergency services or the costs that come with it.

"If you show up to an emergency department and you only needed urgent care, you're gonna be spending an extra $1,200 to $2,000 out-of-pocket, plus the time that you lose because an ER visit is two to three hours versus less than an hour for an urgent care visit," he said.

"The world today — folks are looking for the right kind of convenience and they demand the right kind of convenience and they deserve it. And that's part of what we're trying to give here."

Starting Monday, April 3, the Emergency Center will be open 24-7. Urgent Care will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

No appointment is needed, and all ages are welcome.