Pikeville Medical Center hires 3,000th employee

Pikeville Medical Center (Photo: sourcelync.net)

Pikeville Medical Center said it reached a milestone Monday when it welcomed its 3,000th employee: information systems project manager Judy Lawson.

The center is the region's largest employer and has added 930 jobs this year, according to a report in Pikeville's Appalachian News-Express.

The report cites a $48 million boon to the local economy from the employment boom.

"With coal jobs disappearing at an alarming rate, our region depends on PMC to contribute to our local economy," Juanita Deskins, chief operating officer, told the newspaper.

"We are seeing patients come from further distances than ever before," said President and CEO Walter E. May, who led the facility's transformation from Pikeville Methodist Hospital. "People in our region recognize that PMC is providing quality healthcare closer to home. We will continue increasing our number of employees to meet the demand for our services."