Doster Breaks Ground on $78 Million Livingston Hospital Expansion

Doster Construction broke ground on a $78 million renovation and expansion of Livingston Hospital in Salem, Kentucky, the companies said on April 23.

The project adds about 66,000 square feet of new construction at the front of the existing facility, creating a new main entrance and modernized patient-care areas. The new wing will house Emergency, Radiology, Lab, Med/Surg patient rooms, Surgery and Minor Procedures, a Post-Anesthetic Care Unit, and Central Sterile Processing.

Renovations to the existing hospital will support Oncology/Infusion, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and a new Pharmacy. Other areas will be repurposed to improve operational efficiency across the campus, Doster said.

“Livingston Hospital has long been committed to serving this community with compassion and excellence,” said Shane Whittington, CEO of Livingston Hospital. “This new facility represents our continued investment in the health and well-being of our region. It allows us to grow alongside our community and ensure patients can receive high-quality care without having to travel far from home.”

Whittington noted the project's timing is critical for rural healthcare, where hospitals face rising financial pressure and staffing shortages. The expansion is designed to keep advanced services local rather than forcing patients to travel outside the region.

Doster, a general contractor founded in 1969, ranks among the nation's top 400 contractors by Engineering News-Record. It serves multifamily, healthcare, hospitality, commercial, industrial, and educational clients. Construction is underway.