Frontier Nursing Service sells Mary Breckinridge Hospital to Appalachian Regional Healthcare

Following the nationwide trend of independent hospitals joining larger organizations in order to stay viable, and ending an era, Hyden's Mary Breckinridge Hospital has been acquired by Appalachian Regional Healthcare.

The hospital was sold by the Frontier Nursing Service, which was founded in 1925 by Mary Breckinridge, whos eefforts greatly reduced infant mortality in the area. The hospital employs 150 people and will now be called Mary Breckinridge ARH Hospital, The Associated Press reports.

ARH President and CEO Jerry Haynes said the health system hopes to enhance health-care services in Leslie County. It is the 10th hospital in the Central Appalachian network, which began with takeover of United Mine Workers hospitals about 40 years ago. (Read more)