ATHENS-LIMESTONE HOSPITAL
Athens-Limestone Hospital (ALH) is an affiliate of the Huntsville Hospital Health System and is a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Tier 1 hospital. ALH operates across three campuses and manages 21 physician clinics that serve the residents of Limestone County, east Lauderdale County and south-central Tennessee. After receiving Certificate of Need approval, the 71-bed facility has plans to add 30 additional beds, and renovations to accommodate the expansion are set to begin soon.
With more than 1,000 employees, ALH is among the largest employers in Limestone County and has significantly expanded its clinical team by adding specialists in pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, mental health and women’s health. In May, the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce named ALH one of the best places to work in Limestone County, based on employee satisfaction surveys.
ALH performs the second-highest volume of surgical cases in the Huntsville Hospital Health Systems and maintains one of the lowest infection rates in the state. Key services include advanced imaging and diagnostics, progressive inpatient and surgical care, outpatient surgical services, labor and delivery at The Baby Place, a sleep clinic, a pain center, inpatient community pharmacies, wellness and wound care centers and multi-specialty clinics.
In 2023, ALH began offering Velys Robotic-Assisted Solution technology for knee replacement surgeries, and in October 2024, installed a Safe Haven Baby Box, making it the seventh facility in Alabama to offer this resource.
ALH has recently launched several community programs and initiatives. In June, the hospital announced Health Conversations, a video podcast and talk show that provides health care education, promotes hospital services and connects the community with health care professionals. In 2024, ALH’s Foundation started a Patient Assistance Fund to help underinsured or uninsured patients access necessities such as medication, clothing and transportation upon discharge.
The hospital also kicked off the BEE (Building Excellent Executives) Leadership Program in 2024 to develop hospital leaders through service and professional development. In May, the BEE Leadership team hosted a health fair for the Haitian community in Athens that provided free health screenings and education. An Ambassadors Program that offers high school juniors and seniors exposure to health care careers and volunteer experiences started in 2023.
DECATUR MORGAN HOSPITAL
Decatur Morgan Hospital, is also a part of the Huntsville Hospital Health System. It is a full-service community hospital with six campuses and 22 outpatient clinics that serve Decatur, Hartselle, Priceville and their surrounding communities. The Decatur campus received “A” grades from the Lown Institute Hospital Index for Social Responsibility (2025-2026) for patient safety, inclusivity and pay equity and ranked in the top five in Alabama for patient safety and inclusivity. Decatur Morgan Hospital is the largest employer in Morgan County and supports a staff of more than 450 medical providers and 1,900 employees.
Decatur Morgan Hospital is licensed for 479 beds, including a 64-bed psychiatric hospital, and offers a range of specialties from critical care and cardiology to orthopedics, vascular surgery, obstetrics and urogynecology. Two emergency departments provide immediate and critical care with board-certified emergency physicians and skilled nursing teams.
Last summer, the hospital completed an expansion of its Cardiac Cath Clinic, including the addition of a $4.5 million vascular surgery operating room.
In March, the hospital expanded its use of surgical robotics with the purchase of the Velys Robotic-Assisted Solution, a robotic system designed specifically for orthopedic procedures such as knee and hip replacements.
Also in March, the hospital installed a Safe Haven Baby Box, making it the second medical center in the state to provide a secure and anonymous option for parents who are unable to care for their newborns.
Decatur Morgan Hospital supports workforce development initiatives through partnerships with local schools, a nurse apprenticeship program with Calhoun Community College that started in 2022 and, most recently, a Nurse Camp that launched this year for high-school students.
This article appears in the August 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
