Lourdes is now officially known as Mercy Health. The transition was made official at an announcement ceremony today with a new sign on top of the hospital.
Lourdes has been a part of Mercy Health since 1989. Mercy Health is Ohio’s largest health system and fourth largest employer. Paducah is Mercy Health’s seventh regional market within the health care ministry to undergo the change, following the transition of Catholic Health Partners to Mercy Health in 2014.
“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. “Lourdes has been part of the Mercy Health family for nearly 30 years, and now we’re uniting under one name to better connect all of our points of care in the community. We’re still the same hospital and physician network you know and trust. Nothing is changing about the care provided to our patients or our dedication to our Mission. Mercy Health has a solid foundation, one that began more than 160 years ago. And together we will be a partner in this community for centuries to come.”
Lourdes began its ministry in the Paducah area as Riverside Hospital in 1905. The Diocese of Owensboro purchased the hospital in 1959 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. In 1989, Lourdes entered into a management contract with Mercy Health System. In 1997, the Sisters of Mercy joined other systems to form Catholic Health Systems. In 2014, Catholic Health changed its name to Mercy Health, one of the largest not-for-profit Catholic health systems in the nation.
Mercy Health is a national leader in quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness. True to its 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. In 2017, Mercy Health invested $383 million in community benefit unto the communities where it provides care.