UAB Medical West Brings Compassionate Care Closer to Home
By Ryann Swift on December 17, 2025
West Jefferson County communities have experienced a major boost in healthcare access. UAB Medical West Hospital's state-of-the-art facility is continuing to transform care for the region, bringing comprehensive services closer to home and elevating the patient experience.
The UAB Medical West campus features a 200-bed, 9-story Level 3 Trauma center and a corresponding 7-story Medical Office Building, providing more services than ever before, in a beautiful, modern environment. In seamless collaboration with UAB Medicine— Alabama’s largest and most advanced health system—UAB Medical West has joined the health system’s expansive network of 16 hospitals and 139 care locations. Combining the personalized care of a community hospital with the cutting-edge resources of a leading academic medical center, UAB Medical West patients can enjoy the same high-quality care across the hospital system.
“As a rural hospital, having direct access to UAB’s network of specialists, advanced technology, and comprehensive care means our patients don’t have to travel far to receive world-class treatment,” says Keith Pennington, UAB Medical West CEO.
“It’s about making high-quality, academic-level healthcare available close to home — improving access, convenience, and outcomes for the communities we serve.”
Keith Pennington, UAB Medical West CEO
A New Kind of Healthcare
Healthcare is about more than treating patients when they’re sick. Modern healthcare facilities like UAB Medical West focus on the holistic health of the patients they serve.
“The new UAB Medical West facility is a place to go for wellness as opposed to going for illness,” the CEO explains. “The healing is more than just the medicine—it’s everything around you.”
This philosophy extends to the facility's design, which physicians say actively contributes to healing. “The aesthetically pleasing environment that’s also state-of-the-art plays a big role in patient treatment and recovery,” says Dr. Matthew Reed, General Surgeon, UAB Medical West.
The hospital is designed to reflect Alabama’s bountiful natural splendor, with each floor represented by flora native to Alabama, featuring photography and artwork created by local Alabama artists. The facility offers a comfortable, peaceful environment in which to heal. Rocking chairs and fireplaces replace the traditional sterile feeling of clinical facilities while floor-to-ceiling windows in patient rooms flood the rooms with natural light.
Outside, the campus is graced with a pond and walking trails that wind through a well-manicured landscape of trees and plants.
“The structural beauty of the new facility embodies what Medical West is,” says Dr. Cynthia Brown, OBGYN, UAB Medical West. “A beautiful community place that really takes care of people.”
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Comprehensive Services
UAB Medical West is your choice for comprehensive care in your local community. The Bessemer campus now offers leading specialty services that patients used to drive downtown to access. Families will no longer have to travel long distances to access expert-level care. The hospital and medical offices—where UAB Medicine now occupies the entire 6th floor—are more connected than ever, expanding services at a rapid rate.
Since opening the new facility in 2024, UAB Medical West has added several UAB Medicine service lines to the campus. Today, patients have access to a comprehensive range of specialties, including:
UAB Medical West has joined the health system’s expansive network of 16 hospitals and 139 care locations.
The new facility showcases cutting-edge medical technology, including robotic surgery capabilities that allow for minimally invasive procedures and faster recovery times. The hospital's Advanced Wound Center features hyperbaric oxygen therapy, while the Joint Replacement Center focuses on improved pain control and earlier patient mobilization using innovative strategies like Joint Camp and individualized case management.
“UAB Medical West offers the same high standard of care that UAB Medicine is known for — compassionate, professional, and comprehensive,” CEO Keith Pennington emphasizes. “Through this partnership, we’re able to provide cutting-edge treatments and seamless coordination of care, ensuring our community receives the very best care right here at home.”
The UAB Medical West Difference
sponsored by: UAB Medical West Hospital
All hospital service lines:
• Advanced Wound Care
• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Emergency Services
• Endoscopy/GI Lab
• Geriatric Psychiatry
• Rehabilitation Services
• Robotic Surgery
• Sleep Center
• Surgical Services
• Orthopedics
• Women's Services
• Primary Care
• Ear Nose & Throat
• Cancer/Oncology
• General Surgery
UAB Medicine Service Lines at the
UAB Medical West campus:
• Endocrinology
• Cardiology
• Neurosurgery
• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Pain Management
• Pulmonology
• Rheumatology
The UAB Medical West Difference
Ultimately, UAB Medical West fulfills a promise to the residents of West Jefferson County that trusted UAB quality care should be accessible to everyone. The UAB Medical West campus goes beyond accessibility by setting the care in an environment of comfort and convenience—there’s even free parking!
“This is a win for our patients, our local economy, and our community as a whole,” says Pennington. “UAB Medical West is proud to be part of UAB Medicine. Together, we’re improving lives—right here at home.”
To learn more about services available at UAB Medical West or to schedule an appointment, visit at medicalwesthospital.org
UAB Medical West Brings Compassionate Care Closer to Home
West Jefferson County communities have experienced a major boost in healthcare access. UAB Medical West Hospital's state-of-the-art facility is continuing to transform care for the region, bringing comprehensive services closer to home and elevating the patient experience.
The UAB Medical West campus features a 200-bed, 9-story Level 3 Trauma center and a corresponding 7-story Medical Office Building, providing more services than ever before, in a beautiful, modern environment. In seamless collaboration with UAB Medicine— Alabama’s largest and most advanced health system—UAB Medical West has joined the health system’s expansive network of 16 hospitals and 139 care locations. Combining the personalized care of a community hospital with the cutting-edge resources of a leading academic medical center, UAB Medical West patients can enjoy the same high-quality care across the hospital system.
“As a rural hospital, having direct access to UAB’s network of specialists, advanced technology, and comprehensive care means our patients don’t have to travel far to receive world-class treatment,” says Keith Pennington, UAB Medical West CEO.
UAB Medical West has joined the health system’s expansive network of 16 hospitals and 139 care locations.
sponsored by:
UAB Medical West Hospital