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Notices:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Visitation Restrictions

Visitation restrictions are in effect at all Med Center Health hospitals and Cal Turner Rehab & Specialty Care.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Update on COVID-19 Vaccinations Provided by Med Center Health

We are encouraged by the number of Kentuckians who want to be vaccinated and we ask for everyone’s continued patience as we work through the request list. Presently, over 12,000 submitted requests remain to be scheduled.

To date, Med Center Health has administered over 10,300 doses of the vaccine to qualified individuals in the state’s phase 1a and 1b categories. We are scheduling qualified individuals who have texted or emailed Med Center Health as quickly as possible and as the limited supply of vaccine arrives. We are notified on a weekly basis the number of doses that will be provided by the Kentucky Department of Public Health and are not able to schedule more appointments than the number of doses sent to us.

To those qualified individuals in phase 1a and 1b who have submitted a request but have not yet received an appointment response, we ask that you not resubmit another request as doing so will only move the request further back in line and further delay the appointment date.

If you have been provided an assigned date and time for your vaccination at Med Center Health and have received an assigned vaccination day and time at another location in Kentucky, please cancel your appointment at Med Center Health by texting CANCEL to 270-796-3200.

Watch for further announcements from Med Center Health.

The Medical Center at Bowling Green Authorized to Move into Phase 1b

The Medical Center at Bowling Green is continuing to vaccinate healthcare personnel included in the state’s Phase 1a. We have been authorized by the Kentucky Department of Public Health to move into Phase 1b, which includes first responders, anyone at least age 70 and K-12 school personnel. Individuals who qualify under the age requirements for this priority phase can add their name to the scheduling request list by texting SENIOR to 270-796-3200. Alternatively, you can also email vaccine@mchealth.net with your full name, date of birth and phone number. Using either method, your name will be placed in queue and you will be contacted when an appointment time becomes available. Phase 1b includes a large number of Kentuckians and, with the limited supply of vaccine, we ask the public to be patient as we work through the request list. 

Please note: It may be several days before you receive your call due to overwhelming response. There is no need to text or email multiple times. Repeated submissions will reset your request to the current date and you will lose your earlier spot on the list. Please do not call the hospital switchboard. We thank you for your patience.

The Medical Center at Bowling Green Designated COVID Vaccine Administration Site for Healthcare Personnel

The Medical Center at Bowling Green is partnering with the Kentucky Department of Public Health to be a COVID vaccine administration site for healthcare personnel who desire to be vaccinated and meet the state’s definition of covered healthcare personnel in phase 1a of COVID-19 vaccine deployment. In Kentucky, all healthcare personnel working in clinical settings (i.e., places where patient care occurs), regardless of occupational role, are eligible for phase 1a immunization.

Healthcare personnel who want to receive the vaccine and meet the state’s phase 1a criteria can be scheduled for vaccination by emailing their full name, cell phone number and the name of their healthcare employer or clinical education program to vaccine@mchealth.net.

Med Center Health mourns the loss of Don Miller, M.D.

Dr. Don Miller passed away on December 21, 2020 following his battle with COVID-19.  Dr. Miller joined our medical staff in 2004 and has worked in the Emergency Department at our Bowling Green campus for nearly seventeen years. Dr. Miller’s dedication and sacrifice for his profession, colleagues, and our patients will never be forgotten.

Prior to joining Med Center Health, Dr. Miller was on staff at Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown and Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin, having served as Medical Director for Hardin Memorial’s Emergency Department for ten years. Over the course of his career, Dr. Miller held several medical directorships with ambulance services in Kentucky and actively participated in paramedic training courses.

Dr. Miller worked faithfully alongside his Emergency Department friends and colleagues on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic since the first Med Center Health patient tested positive in March of this year. He provided outstanding emergency care for our patients both before and during the pandemic and will forever be remembered as a true healthcare hero. Our hearts are with Dr. Miller’s wife, Teresa, his children and our Emergency Department team during this difficult time.

The Medical Center at Bowling Green Selected as one of the First Hospitals in Kentucky to Receive Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine

In what will forever be remembered as a monumental event in the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Medical Center at Bowling Green is honored to have been selected by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Kentucky Commissioner for Public Health Dr. Steven Stack to be one of the first hospitals in Kentucky to receive an allocation of the initial Pfizer vaccine. 

“We have been preparing for receipt and distribution since notified that Med Center Health was the designated recipient for our region,” said Connie Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Med Center Health. “We have seen first-hand the impact of this devastating virus on our patients, physicians, and healthcare workers as well as the community. The vaccine will be administered in accordance with priorities recommended by the Kentucky Department for Public Health first to our nursing home patients, then to the front-line clinical staff members caring for COVID patients here at Med Center Health.”

The Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer vaccine on December 11 after conducting a thorough evaluation of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. The vaccine will be administered in a series of two doses, three weeks apart. According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, vaccine distribution details after this initial rollout — including the number of doses and allocation plan — are expected to change frequently.

“Now is not the time to let our guard down,” Smith added. “While the arrival of the vaccine is a game changer in the fight against this pandemic, we recognize that the delivery of subsequent vaccine for the general public will take time over several months. We all must continue to wear a mask, practice proper hygiene and keep socially distant. Let’s finish this together!”

Bowling Green–Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup news conference

The Bowling Green-Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup held a news conference November 12 to emphasize the importance of mask wearing, washing hands and social distancing. Like the majority of Kentucky counties, the positivity rate in Warren is considered “critical.”

Infectious Disease specialist at forefront of COVID-19 loses personal battle with illness

Rebecca Shadowen, MD, FACP, FSHEA, a specialist in Infectious Diseases & Healthcare Epidemiology at Med Center Health and a leader with the Bowling Green–Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup, passed away tonight following a four-month battle with COVID-19. Dr. Shadowen first announced she tested positive for the virus on May 13th.

Connie Smith, President and CEO of Med Center Health, stated, “We are grieving the loss of Dr. Rebecca Shadowen. There are really no words to describe the pain felt by her family, physician colleagues and Med Center Health teammates. Dr. Shadowen will forever be remembered as a nationally recognized expert who provided the very best care for our patients and community. She was a dear friend to many.”

Dr. Shadowen joined the Medical Staff at The Medical Center at Bowling Green in 1989, and has been a physician leader in our region, across the Commonwealth of Kentucky and nationally for over 30 years. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

We hope you will join us in keeping her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Kentucky doctor who urged mask-wearing early on dies of Covid-19 (NBC News)

Kentucky doctor who led fight against COVID-19 dies after 4-month battle with virus (Courier-Journal)

Governor signs executive order for masks in public

On July 9, Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order requiring Kentuckians to wear face coverings under several circumstances for 30 days. According to the governor’s office, the order would be evaluated during that time to determine any additional steps or extension; and, on August 6, the order was extended an additional 30 days.

There are several exemptions to the order, including children who are 5 or younger and any person with a disability, or a physical or mental impairment, that prevents them from safely wearing a face covering. To read the executive order and more exemptions, visit governor.ky.gov.

HOSPITAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Residents are encouraged to remain calm and to use proper hygienic methods and social distancing to prevent the spread of airborne infections, such as the common cold, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses, including, but not limited to, the coronavirus.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others. Full instructions are on the CDC website. Never put a mask on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
  • If in a private setting and not wearing a mask, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or use your elbow when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of used tissues in the trash and immediately wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Practice hand hygiene – wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.
  • Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands; it’s the easiest way for germs to enter your body.
  • Try to limit your exposure to sick people.
  • Put distance between yourself and other people (at least 6 feet).
  • Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
  • Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
  • Practice other good health habits – get plenty of sleep; stay active; manage your stress; drink plenty of fluids; and eat nutritious food.

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED

If you have traveled to any active zone within the past two weeks and have developed symptoms of lower respiratory illness — which include cough, shortness of breath, and fever — call your local hospital and ask to speak to the Emergency Department, or you may visit the Emergency Department. If you go to the Emergency Department, or any healthcare facility, please be sure to inform them immediately of your travel history and symptoms.

It is recommended that you call your physician before entering any healthcare facility if you believe you are exhibiting symptoms.

HOW HAS MED CENTER HEALTH PREPARED?

Med Center Health is working diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients amid concerns surrounding COVID-19. Our hospitals have existing bed capacity and have surge plans in place when necessary. We will continue to monitor and follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines, engage continuously with local infectious disease specialists and collaborate with key stakeholders through the Bowling Green-Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup. We are also fully compliant with Governor Beshear’s recommendations to restart elective procedures at this time.

All hospitals within the Med Center Health system are actively screening patients to determine exposure to communicable illnesses. The Medical Center at Bowling Green is prepared with:

  • Areas of the hospital identified as containment locations.
  • Defined procedures for management of patients with the illness.
  • Team drills to simulate and prepare for a large volume of patients.
  • Expert Infectious Disease physicians on staff.
  • Close communication and coordination with state and local health officials and emergency management.
  • Additional space with an inflatable hospital in the event of an unexpected high volume of patients with the virus.

Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup

The Workgroup communicates daily to discuss information relating to the Coronavirus. It is the goal of the Workgroup to provide information to the public each afternoon via Facebook Twitter, and Instagram. The information posted daily will serve as direct communication to both the media and to the public.

Members of the Workgroup include:

  • Barren River District Health Department
  • Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Bowling Green Independent School District
  • Graves Gilbert Clinic
  • Med Center Health
  • Rivendell Behavioral Health Hospital
  • Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
  • Southern Kentucky Rehabilitation Hospital
  • The City of Bowling Green
  • TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital
  • Warren County Emergency Management
  • Warren County Government
  • Warren County Public Schools
  • Western Kentucky University

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

COVID-19 Resource Center

Learn more about COVID-19 in our health library resource center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read answers to your questions on the Coronavirus Workgroup Frequently Asked Questions page.

Kentucky COVID-19 Hotline (800) 722-5725

The COVID-19 hotline is a service operated by the healthcare professionals at the KY Poison Control Center who can provide advice and answer questions. Please be patient as they are handling a high volume of calls and want to give everyone the time they deserve. For general information, please review this web page or the kycovid19.ky.gov website prior to calling the hotline.

Visitation Restrictions

Visitation restrictions are in effect at all Med Center Health Hospitals and Cal Turner Rehab & Specialty Care.

Follow us on social media for Updates on COVID-19

Connie Smith, Med Center Health President and CEO, on Twitter

Med Center Health Twitter

Med Center Health Facebook

Learn more about COVID-19 in Local news

Med Center Health talks vaccine preps and refrigeration process (WBKO)

Medical professionals urge the public to wear masks and social distance (WBKO)

Increase in COVID-19 related hospitalizations as medical professionals urge people to stay safe (WNKY)

COVID-19 cases close courthouse as hospitals see increase (Daily News)

Dr. Rebecca Shadowen passes away after four-month long battle with COVID-19 (WBKO)

Hospitalized Physician at Forefront of COVID-19 Battle Returns to Bowling Green

Continue to Follow Guidelines will avoid ‘Re-Peak’ Possibility (WBKO)

Is There a Possibility of Re-Peaking for COVID 19? (WBKO)

Are Emergency Rooms Safe: Extended Dr. Moss Conversation (WKU PBS)

COVID-19: Moving Forward Interview with Dr. Shadowen (WKU PBS)

COVID-19 Under the Microscope Interview with Dr. Shadowen (WKU PBS)

Orthopedic Plus Physical Therapy taking highest measures to ensure patient and staff safety (WBKO)

Med Center Health: Emergency Department is safe during coronavirus pandemic (WBKO)

Kentucky to Extend Bowling Green’s COVID-19 Testing (WBKO, April 27)

COVID-19 tests increase over the week significantly at Med Center Health (WBKO, March 19)

Local hospital continually refining coronavirus plans (WNKY)

First confirmed COVID-19 case at The Medical Center at Bowling Green

Med Center Health advances safety precautions in birthing center amid outbreak (WBKO March 18)

Medical Center at Bowling Green Preparedness Update (WKNY, March 18)

13 News Coronavirus Concerns Special (March 15, 2020)

WKYU-FM Interview with Infectious Disease Specialist Rebecca Shadowen, MD

March 10, 2020 Med Center Health COVID-19 Update news release

Med Center EMS prepared for coronavirus response (WBKO)

Daily News interview with Infectious Disease Specialist Rebecca Shadowen, MD

WBKO interview with Dr. Shadowen

Hospital expands screening (Daily News, March 7)

Videos about COVID-19