The offices, located at 615 E. Seventh Ave., will further streamline care for kids in the region, while also increasing offerings for adults seeking treatment.

Story by: Dakota Sherek on April 25, 2024

Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s are expanding services in Western Kentucky through the integration of a well-respected primary care practice in the Bowling Green community.

The $1.2 million investment to integrate the former Bowling Green Internal Medicine & Pediatric Associates into Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare offices allows for enhanced primary care, building on significant investments already made through Norton Children’s existing specialty practices in the community.

The offices, located at 615 E. Seventh Ave., feature 9,000 square feet of space split between pediatric and adult primary care. The location will further streamline care for kids in the region, while also increasing offerings for adults seeking treatment.

“Providing access to health care is essential to our mission,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “High-quality, safe, innovative care should be available to every person across the region. The best way to achieve that vision is to bring care closer to home. Bringing this team into Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare is a great step forward in our goal.”

The acquisition marks Norton Healthcare’s latest investment in the Bowling Green area. Norton Children’s began offering pediatric cardiology services here in the 1960s, and in the years since has added neurology, urology and neonatal follow-up services at Norton Children’s Outpatient Center located at 720 Second Ave. The outpatient center, much like Bowling Green itself, has seen ample growth in recent years. Patient visits increased 11% between 2022 and 2023. With a wealth of Norton Children’s specialty services well-established in Bowling Green, this newly acquired practice now brings primary care into the fold.

“Bowling Green has always been a great place to live, work, learn and play,” said Steven T. Hester, M.D., MBA, senior vice president and chief clinical and strategy officer, Norton Healthcare. “We have been part of this community for a very long time and are furthering our commitment to local families. Having these practices will allow us to help bridge the gap between primary care and specialty services, with the goal of supporting the area for years to come.”

The practices will maintain their existing team of nine providers, of whom the majority provides care to both children and adults. Expecting more than 25,000 visits this year, the offices will offer wellness checkups, sports physicals, vaccinations, sick visits, pulmonary function and electrocardiogram testing, and more.

“We’re thrilled to join the Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare system,” said Paul A. Kniery, M.D., internal medicine physician with the former practice and now Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare. “We’ve seen the positive impact of their specialized pediatric care in our community, and we are proud to take part in the growth of primary care services for families here in Bowling Green.”

“Norton Children’s and Norton Healthcare have had a great relationship with the physicians in Bowling Green,” Dr. Hester said. “Our goal is to support their great work by bringing to bear all of the tools and resources we have to support timely access to care and the patient and family experience.”