Barren County residents enjoy a laid-back, rural lifestyle, but they have access to top-notch, progressive health care close to home.

T.J. Samson Community Hospital

T.J. Samson Community Hospital is a 196-bed, acute-care facility that serves the southeastern Kentucky region, and the hospital and staff are dedicated to the health of the community.

“We have a great medical staff practicing across a broad range of specialties and subspecialties,” says Bill Kindred, hospital CEO. “They are a very congenial staff who work well with the administration of the hospital, and we’re very proud of that.”

In addition to specialties that include oncology, family medicine, pediatrics and orthopedics, T.J. Samson offers a cardiac care center, a sleep disorders center, and women’s and children's services.

Cardiac Care

In the cardiology department of the hospital, cardiovascular procedures, such as cardiac catheterization and emergency coronary angioplasty, are performed by highly specialized physicians who can also implant pacemakers and defibrillators.

Through a working relationship with Jewish Hospital in Louisville, the hospital’s telemedicine clinic allows cardiac and thoracic patients to receive continuity of care via an interactive audio/video system and real-time sharing of patient data.

In addition, T.J. Samson's cardiology waiting room offers a comfortable setting and inviting atmosphere‚ complete with homey furniture and more than 20 prints of works by French painter Adolph William Bouguereau on the walls.

Sleep Disorders Center

At the Sleep Disorders Center, patients ages 6 and older with a host of sleep problems – from insomnia to sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder and even narcolepsy – undergo observation and treatment that make restful slumber a reality rather than just a dream.

Family-Friendly

The entire hospital operates with a patient-friendly atmosphere and philosophy. It is an affiliate of Planetree, where a holistic approach to medicine encourages healing in all dimensions – mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual. T.J. Samson is one of fewer than 100 hospitals in the nation – and the first in Kentucky – to have officially adopted the Planetree model.

The progressive hospital offers community services including screenings, health education classes and materials, support groups, home health and hospice care, adult and child day care, and a rural health clinic. It is also home to a family practice residency program in conjunction with the University of Louisville School of Medicine.

“All of us here at T.J. Samson Community Hospital are dedicated to making this the best hospital it can be,” Kindred says. “We want to continue to grow and to be recognized as one of the best hospitals in the Commonwealth of Kentucky."

Community Medical Care

Community Medical Care is a charity assisting Barren County’s low-income seniors with prescription medication, prescription glasses and hearing aids. CMC also assists low-income, working uninsured adults of Barren County by providing primary health care, prescription medication, emergency dental, optometric and hospital care, and specialist consultation.

Assistance is given by CMC paying 90 percent of the cost of medication up to $250 per quarter for adults, and $200 per month for seniors.