07/29/2025
Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville, through the support of Ideal Rocket Oil and the Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville Foundation, is rolling out a new transportation van to serve patients in the region.
Transportation can often be a barrier for receiving health care and lead to a longer length of stay for patients, particularly for those living in rural areas. While Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville currently utilizes regional transportation providers for patients in need with the support of the Foundation’s Patient Assistance program, rides are not always readily available when patients are ready to return home. When the Baptist Health Deaconess Foundation sought a partner to help address this ongoing issue, the Eveland family and Ideal Rocket Oil stepped up to provide support by funding the purchase of a van.
“We’ve been in business for 50 years and we love our communities, we serve our communities – and we have this in common with the hospital,” says Barry Eveland, owner of Rocket Oil Company. “My wife and I are both RNs and we’ve worked at the hospital, so we have some insight into how this van can be used to serve patients and make their lives easier and better.”
The van, which is equipped with a wheelchair lift, will help to bridge gaps in coverage by initially serving as a way for patients who have been discharged from the hospital to travel home when they do not have the means to get there.
“Sometimes, out of their control, patients can’t get home – because of economic conditions, family support, their kids work and can’t get off work until late in the evening. Now our Director of Case Management can make that one phone call and be able to get those patients home safely,” said Alisa Coleman, President of Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville during a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new van. “There’s just a lot to be thankful for today. Thank you, Barry: to you, your family, the Ideal Market family, for this partnership and helping to address this need in our community.”
Once the service is fully up and running, the van will be available Monday through Saturday, primarily from the morning through the evening. Full-time and part-time employees will be hired to drive the van, with the possibility of adding more drivers and creating a fleet of vans as a hope for the future.
If you would like to donate towards future projects or initiatives at Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville, please contact Ashley Galvan with the Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville Foundation at ashley.galvan@baptistdeaconess.com.
