Albert B. Chandler Hospital

Opened in 1962, the Albert B. Chandler Hospital along Rose Street at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky is a component of the University of Kentucky Hospital (UK HealthCare), encompassed within the Chandler Medical Center. It is named for twice-former Governor of Kentucky A. B. "Happy" Chandler. The 473-bed medical facility features the Markey Cancer Center, the Kentucky Children's Hospital, the Gill Heart Institute, the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute and the Center for Advanced Surgery.

The hospital is the only Level I trauma center in central and eastern Kentucky, and the only facility in the region to play host to a Level III neonatal intensive care unit for infants. It also includes a 100-bed intensive care facility and 17 operating rooms.

Ground was broken for the hospital in 1955, when Governor Chandler recommended that the Kentucky General Assembly appropriate $5 million for the creation of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and a medical center at the university. This was completed after a series of studies were conducted that highlighted the health needs of the citizens, as well as the need to train more physicians for the state.

Phase I


The University of Kentucky is currently doing ground preparatory work for the new one-million sq. ft. Albert B. Chandler Hospital; actual construction of the superstructure will begin in May 2008. The $450 million is one of the largest projects in state history in terms of size and impact. Under construction currently is a new parking structure for the patient care facility. Upon its completion in fall 2007, the existing parking garage adjacent to the existing hospital will be demolished so that phase one of the new hospital can be constructed in its place. The first phase of the new hospital will open in 2011.

Design work regarding the new facility began in August 2005. This was due to a need to modernize the hospital due to the "rapidly changing nature of health care delivery" and other advances, along with a sharp increase in patients. The facility was part of a much larger project:

The $450 million 1 million sq. ft. patient care facility will be constructed as a ten-floor structure. There will be a four-floor base with an emergency department, radiology services, eight new operating rooms, same day surgery facilities, a post-anesthesia care unit, and a recovery area, along with a new lobby, coffee shop, gift shop, and waiting areas. Constructed above this will be two separate six-floor patient bed towers. The patient rooms will mostly be private and be very flexible, in that they can be converted into intensive care units with ease.

The original plans called for one patient tower, but this was amended to include two because of cost savings analysis. UK Healthcare would save $10 to $12 million by constructing the second patient tower instead of adding it in on a later date. It is also advantageous because the construction plans and cranes would already be in place and that disruptions would be minimal.

On January 23, 2007, it was announced that an additional 192 beds would be requested, adding two floors to each patient tower; it would only add two months to construction. A state certificate was filed because the hospital saw a record number of patients in December. Accounting for an annual 4.5% growth rate, the hospital would be at 100% capacity by 2011. The hospital, however, has been achieving a 10% annual growth rate. The hospital is currently at 85% capacity.

To solve the potential issue of patient crowding, the University of Kentucky signed a letter of intent to purchase Samaritan Hospital adjacent to the campus on February 15, 2007. It could hold as many as "100 UK patients" and solve all crowding issues until the new hospital is completed. The university would operate it for at least ten years but have an option to extend it.

Funding for the new patient care facility is being generated through existing hospital revenues and bond issues. On May 30, 2007, ground was broken for phase one of the new hospital.

Phase II and III
During Phase II and III, the existing Chandler Hospital will be demolished in favor of a new facility for outpatient care that will be linked with inpatient services in the patient care facility constructed under Phase I. Medical research and educational support structures will be relocated primarily west of South Limestone.

Phase II is expected to cost at least $175 million.