Louisville, Kentucky’s majority-Black West End neighborhood, has welcomed its first local hospital in over 150 years.
Norton West Louisville Hospital, which began operations in November 2024, is already significantly impacting the local community. About 70% of the hospital staff are local residents, and their strong ties to the area have made the hospital a key connection point for all types of care.
“Empathy is something that is not practiced a lot anymore in healthcare,” Charles Ramsey, a hospital case manager and West End native, told CBS News. “I feel like if you have empathy for a person, you understand them better. That’s where the trust comes in.”
The town’s first hospital was the vision of Corenza Townsend, chief administrative officer for Norton West. Eight years ago, while working as a nurse manager at another Norton hospital, she pitched the idea to the corporation’s CEO, Russ Cox.
With the CEO’s support and Townsend’s determination, Norton broke ground in June 2022 and opened its doors in November 2024. In a predominantly Black community often affected by racial bias in healthcare, Townsend is committed to providing West End with the quality care it deserves.
“The life expectancy in West Louisville is about 12-and-a-half to 15 years different here than anywhere else in the city,” Townsend said. “That alone gives you reason enough to build a hospital in West Louisville.”
“We know that lack of transportation, lack of general education around healthcare, and then just bias in how people are treated in the healthcare system,” she added. “Our people in West Louisville are not getting the help that they needed.”
Building trust with the community is a top priority for the hospital, and Norton offers several features to reflect this commitment. Upon entering, visitors are greeted personally, and the hospital showcases art that resonates with patients.
Additional amenities include a bistro, valet parking, and a food bank. Ramsey runs a local partnership with Dare to Care, which serves as a safe space and is open to everyone.
“People are coming into this pantry, and we’re converting them to primary care patients,” Townsend said. “Or they’re coming in, and they’ve had ailments that needed to be addressed for years, and they never did, and we see them right in the emergency department.”
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