UAB Medical West Medical Center
UAB Medical West is a hospital located at 995 9th Avenue Southwest in Bessemer. The hospital was founded as Memorial Hospital in 1964 by then mayor Jess Lanier and was city-owned. In 1972-73, the hospital found itself in financial trouble, as well as having trouble with employee relations. This left Lanier and other city officials looking to sell the hospital. Dr Ben Carraway soon came to the rescue, buying the hospital from the city of Bessemer. The hospital operated as an independent hospital under the name Bessemer Carraway Medical Center. The hospital was run by its own board of directors, that, while most members were also on the Carraway Methodist board of directors, was in fact completely independent of the Carraway Methodist board of directors.
After Carraway Methodist Medical Center started going bankrupt in the late 1990's/early 2000's, the hospital was sold to the UAB Health System. The hospital's name was changed to "Medical West" , and the legendary blue star was removed from the roof. Since then, UAB Health System has made a multi-million dollar expansion to the hospital, expanding offices and one-day surgery facilities.
References
- Smith, Anita (1996) "Rescuing a Hospital in Bessemer". Chapter 18 in Culture of Excellence: A history of Carraway Methodist Medical Center, Volume II. Birmingham: Carraway Hospitals Foundation. pp 276-80