The history of Kimble Hospital is one of determination and civic pride by the citizens of Kimble County to provide a facility that creates and sustains a higher quality of life in the community, providing healthcare close to home. The story began in 1958 and continues to unfold today as the citizens of Kimble County just celebrated the opening of a brand new hospital built to replace the old, outdated facility. In 2009, the members of the Kimble County Hospital District Board made an appeal to the citizens of Kimble County to pass a $16.9 million bond election to fund a new 30,500-square-foot hospital and 7,300-square-foot clinic. A ribbon-cutting to celebrate the new hospital was held in early October 2011 and staff and patients moved in shortly after that.

Kimble Hospital and its emergency room are located 50 miles from the nearest hospital. Its Level IV Trauma Center makes it a vital part of the community and is an added safety benefit for the thousands of people traveling I-10 each day. The facility received its designation as a Critical Access Hospital in May 2000 and provides emergency and diagnostic services, acute care and recovery and end-of-life care for the community. The hospital also operates a rural health clinic next door that is staffed by two doctors and two physician assistants, all with full time family practices. It is operated by a Hospital District Board comprised of seven elected officials who meet monthly in a public forum.

The original hospital was built in 1958 as a county hospital. It was in operation until July 1965 when it closed for several years due to financial distress. It reopened in 1969 again as a county hospital and began to operate under the direction of a Hospital District Board in 1971. In 2008, the Hospital District Board entered into a hospital lease agreement with Preferred Management, Corp., an organization specializing in managing operations for Critical Access Hospitals in rural communities.

With Preferred Management’s leadership, the Kimble County Hospital District Board and Kimble Hospital have made great strides in bringing about positive changes that have led to the medical staff and hospital staff being able to deliver a higher quality of care to the Kimble County community. The hospital has always provided a wide range of primary care services. Its staff consists of a team of healthcare professionals that includes a nursing staff certified in a wide variety of emergency and daily skills.