Members of the Board of Directors of Scott Memorial Hospital in Scottsburg announced on Thursday, May 10, that they have signed a letter of intent to lease the hospital to the Regional Health Network (RHN) of Kentucky and Southern Indiana.
RHN is a new joint venture formed by Norton Healthcare and LifePoint Hospitals® to operate hospitals in non-urban communities in the region.
The proposed relationship is the first transaction for the new Norton and LifePoint company. As part of the proposed lease with Scott Memorial, the new company will operate the hospital with LifePoint being the managing partner and Norton Healthcare being the clinical partner.
“Scott Memorial is excited about the potential of this affiliation with Norton Healthcare and LifePoint Hospitals. They are two highly respected hospital systems dedicated to providing quality health care in communities like Scott County,” said Clifford Nay, CEO of Scott Memorial. “Our board has been exploring potential partnerships for our hospital for several months. With their shared commitment to quality health care,, employees, medical staff and communities, Norton Healthcare and LifePoint Hospitals stood out as the ideal partners to provide us with the resources and expertise we need to secure our hospital for the future.”
Scott Memorial Hospital has been the sole hospital provider in Scott County for more than 50 years. The 25-bed critical access hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission and maintains a critical access designation for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Scott Memorial has approximately 200 full-time employees. With a medical staff of some 90 providers, Scott Memorial offers a broad and diverse range of health care services and community outreach programs.
Hospital services include labor and delivery, cardiac rehabilitation, surgical services, an emergency department and diagnostics services. The affiliation with the new joint venture company will be subject to the final approval of the Scott County Commissioners and Scott County Council.

Though both the County Council and Commissioners were meeting this week, the matter is not expected to be on either group’s agenda.
“Developing a partnership with LifePoint Hospitals to operate Scott Memorial and other hospitals like Scott in the future directly advances our mission of providing quality health care to all those we serve in a manner that responds to needs of our communities,” stated Steve Williams, President and CEO of Norton Healthcare.
He continued, saying community hospitals are facing extraordinary challenges in today’s uncertain health care environment. “By combining the expertise and services available through Norton Healthcare with LifePoint’s resources and capabilities in operating community hospitals, we’re creating a unique opportunity for community hospitals to prepare themselves for the future and advance health care in their communities,” advised Williams.
Norton Healthcare and LifePoint Hospitals are highly-respected hospital systems dedicated to providing quality health care in communities like Scott County. Based in Louisville, Ky., Norton Healthcare is one of the most comprehensive health care systems in the region. It includes five hospitals, five outpatient centers, 12 immediate care centers and more than 90 physician practices in Louisville and the surrounding area. Norton Healthcare brings clinical resources and access to specialty and tertiary services, enhancing the continuum of of care available to patients.
LifePoint Hospitals is based in Brentwood, Tn., and is a leading hospital company focused on providing quality health care close to home.
The company specializes in operating community hospitals like Scott Memorial and currently has 55 hospitals in 18 states, including nine hospitals in Kentucky. The Regional Health Network of Kentucky and Southern Indiana combines the resources and expertise of both organizations to ensure the success of community hospitals in the region.
“We are excited about our new joint venture with Norton Healthcare and pleased about the opportunity to join forces to operate Scott Memorial and service the Scott County community,” stated William F. Carpenter III, Chairman and CEO of LifePoint Hospitals.
“Together, LifePoint and Norton Healthcare can leverage our strengths and capabilities to ensure that patients in the communities we serve have access to the quality care they need close to home. Our joint venture is an ideal partner for Scott Memorial and other community hospitals in Norton Healthcare’s service area,” Carpenter commented.