Ballad Health: Holston Valley Medical Center designated for COVID-19 care, Women & Newborn Center being established at Indian Path

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Plans are in motion to consolidate women’s and newborn services in Kingsport to Indian Path Community Hospital.

Lindy White, President of Ballad’s Northwest Market, said the center will be the first of its kind in the Appalachian region.

She also said that the move, announced Monday, had already been in the works, but plans for the center accelerated in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We felt like it was appropriate to accelerate that. We’ve been doing some planning and we’re confident that the current volume can be adequately and safely and very responsibly served here for women’s, baby and pediatric care,” White said.

She continued that the goals of the plans are now twofold: Opening the forthcoming Women’s and Newborn Center of Excellence and freeing up bed space at Holston Valley Medical Center for a potential COVID-19 surge.

Holston Valley patients needing OB/GYN care, including labor and delivery, will begin getting that care at Indian Path beginning April 22.

In addition, Ballad will be moving acuity adjusted services, including ICU care, from Indian Path to Holston Valley on April 15. Emergency departments of both facilities will remain open, White said.

Ballad’s President of the Northwest Market, Lindy White, said that they’ve extended the COVID-19 surge plan for the Kingsport market and that all COVID-19 care will now take place at Holston Valley.

White said the move will add 40 beds designated for COVID-19 patients at Holston Valley.

“We’re able to create another very large unit that can be positioned very quickly to be able to care for patients in a surge, in a surge that we are anticipating. So a big number of additional beds,” said White.

A press release from Ballad said that the numbers of births in the region have followed national trends in declining, with 2018 reflecting the lowest birth rates in the past 32 years. The forthcoming center, according to the release, will also provide comprehensive breast and cervical care, geriatric services and gynecology services including urogynecology.

A Visioning Committee of representative of local business, academic, physicians and community leaders of Kingsport recommended the planning of the facility, according to White, which included representatives from Holston Medical Group and State of Franklin Healthcare Associates.

After the COVID-19 surge passes, Indian Path will undergo a phased renovation process, according to the release.

You can watch the entire news conference on our WJHL Facebook page below.