Ephraim McDowell Health Announces $5 Million Funding for Freestanding Emergency Department Project in Garrard

The Garrard County Fiscal Court announced at a recent meeting on Monday, April 13, that Ephraim McDowell Health (EMH) will receive $5 million in state funding that will pave the way for the development of a freestanding emergency department in northern Garrard County. 

This investment reflects the strong support of local legislators and the Garrard County Fiscal Court and represents a significant step forward in improving access to care for the community. Pending final approvals, this project will reintroduce emergency department-level services to Garrard County for the first time in more than 20 years.

“The investment will enable Ephraim McDowell Health to create a new access point that serves not only as an emergency department for critical health needs, but also as a hub for primary care and improved access to services across the community,” said Dan McKay, President & CEO of EMH.

The new facility will serve residents of Garrard County and surrounding areas, providing timely, high-quality emergency care closer to home. Designed as a community-centered facility, the freestanding emergency department will offer 24/7 emergency services, reduce strain on existing hospital emergency rooms, and strengthen the region’s overall healthcare infrastructure.

State Representative David Meade, a leading advocate for the funding, added, “Garrard County is a growing community that will benefit greatly from expanded access to emergency care. I am proud to support Ephraim McDowell Health in bringing this vision to life and improving the health of our region.”

Meade added after Monday’s fiscal court meeting, “They've been in negotiations for a little while now and they came to me about five or six months ago. So we've been working on it for a little while. It's something that's needed. It's important because, of course, in any rural county right now we are having issues with funding health care. It's going to be an absolute necessity for Garrard County. And also, it's going to open up more areas in Garrard for economic development. So I think it's going to be a win for everybody.” 

The project is expected to be completed by 2028. Once operational, the facility will play a central role in enhancing regional care delivery, improving patient outcomes, and ensuring the healthcare system is well positioned to meet current and future needs.

“This investment demonstrates that our legislative leadership is committed not only to protecting rural healthcare, but helping it thrive,” said Lucas Brooks, Vice President of Strategic Operations and Analytics at EMH. “Expanding emergency services is essential as demand continues to grow nationwide, and EMH remains focused on delivering high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective care.”

Garrard County Judge Executive Chris “Roo” Elleman said that the project would not only help serve the citizens of Garrard, but also offer significant relief to the local Emergency Medical Services by allowing ambulances to remain in Garrard County more often. Currently ambulances often must  transport patients to medical facilities in neighboring counties, with this project minimizing that need.

“This is an exciting project at an important time for Garrard County,” Elleman said “For more than 20 years, our community has been without emergency room-level care. The Fiscal Court and I are proud to support this effort, which will advance both the health and economic strength of our county.”

Elleman added, “This is a testament to this administration and fiscal court for what we have set out to do in our first term. We made a commitment to clean the finances up and then work on pushing Garrard County forward. This is a huge step forward. One of our goals from the start of this term was to get some kind of urgent treatment center for our community. This announcement has surpassed that. This has been a team effort with Ephraim McDowell, Representative Meade and this Fiscal Court to announce an investment of this level in our county.”

As for what the announcement means for local EMS services, Elleman added, “That's one of the things we struggle with, travel time and the distance to the north end and even Carterville for that matter. This takes a huge burden off of EMS where we can stay in the county and have more trucks available instead of traveling to hospitals outside of the county; which we'll still have to do, but it'll take a big burden off the EMS and we'll see a dramatic increase in response time.” 

Ephraim McDowell Health emphasized the importance of collaboration in making this project possible.

“We are grateful to the Legislature and the Garrard County Fiscal Court for their partnership and support,” McKay added. “We have long believed that expanding services in Garrard County will benefit both the local community and the broader Ephraim McDowell system. This investment allows that vision to become a reality.”

This investment represents a forward-looking commitment to expanding access, strengthening infrastructure, and advancing the overall health and well-being of the communities Ephraim McDowell Health serves.