Pikeville Medical Center Partners with UK’s Golisano Children’s Network to Expand Pediatric Care
New affiliation aims to bring specialist paediatric expertise to Eastern Kentucky through a statewide hospital network
Children and families in Pikeville will now benefit from enhanced access to advanced paediatric care following an affiliation between Pikeville Medical Center’s Mettu Children’s Hospital and Golisano Children’s at UK (formerly Kentucky Children’s Hospital).
This move marks Mettu’s membership in a statewide network dedicated to strengthening specialised paediatric services across Kentucky.
Under the new arrangement, Mettu Children’s gains access to a wide-ranging suite of resources including continuing education for paediatric providers, on-demand clinical consultations with specialists in Lexington, deployment of best-practice paediatric protocols, peer-learning and shadowing opportunities, and structured support for paediatric transfers and quality reviews.
Leaders on both sides emphasised the impact of the collaboration.
"By aligning our clinical expertise with Mettu’s commitment to community-based care, we are building a more integrated system that ensures children receive consistent, high-quality treatment wherever they are," said Dr Scottie B. Day, physician-in-chief at Golisano Children’s at UK. Pikeville Medical Center President and CEO Donovan Blackburn added that the affiliation is a “major milestone” reflecting the hospital’s mission to provide “world-class, compassionate care close to home.”
The affiliation comes amid a wider effort at UK HealthCare to improve paediatric access throughout the Commonwealth.
Earlier this year the institution received a historic US$50 million gift from philanthropist Tom Golisano, enabling its children’s hospital to be renamed and its affiliate network to grow.
Mettu Children’s is among several community hospitals now connected to the network, allowing families in rural and remote areas to remain nearer to home while benefitting from specialist expertise.
Pediatric teams at Mettu emphasised how the partnership will reduce travel burdens for families.
"In many cases families can now receive care locally, and when they need to come to Lexington we’re ready, but the goal is to deliver as much as possible closer to home," said Dr Aaron Crum, chief medical officer at Pikeville Medical Center.
Through the state-wide network, providers at Mettu and other satellite hospitals will also engage in ongoing education and training, ensuring they remain current with the latest paediatric protocols and innovations.
For children in Eastern Kentucky, the partnership represents a tangible improvement in access to high-quality paediatric care and reinforces the commitment of both institutions to regional health equity.
This move marks Mettu’s membership in a statewide network dedicated to strengthening specialised paediatric services across Kentucky.
Under the new arrangement, Mettu Children’s gains access to a wide-ranging suite of resources including continuing education for paediatric providers, on-demand clinical consultations with specialists in Lexington, deployment of best-practice paediatric protocols, peer-learning and shadowing opportunities, and structured support for paediatric transfers and quality reviews.
Leaders on both sides emphasised the impact of the collaboration.
"By aligning our clinical expertise with Mettu’s commitment to community-based care, we are building a more integrated system that ensures children receive consistent, high-quality treatment wherever they are," said Dr Scottie B. Day, physician-in-chief at Golisano Children’s at UK. Pikeville Medical Center President and CEO Donovan Blackburn added that the affiliation is a “major milestone” reflecting the hospital’s mission to provide “world-class, compassionate care close to home.”
The affiliation comes amid a wider effort at UK HealthCare to improve paediatric access throughout the Commonwealth.
Earlier this year the institution received a historic US$50 million gift from philanthropist Tom Golisano, enabling its children’s hospital to be renamed and its affiliate network to grow.
Mettu Children’s is among several community hospitals now connected to the network, allowing families in rural and remote areas to remain nearer to home while benefitting from specialist expertise.
Pediatric teams at Mettu emphasised how the partnership will reduce travel burdens for families.
"In many cases families can now receive care locally, and when they need to come to Lexington we’re ready, but the goal is to deliver as much as possible closer to home," said Dr Aaron Crum, chief medical officer at Pikeville Medical Center.
Through the state-wide network, providers at Mettu and other satellite hospitals will also engage in ongoing education and training, ensuring they remain current with the latest paediatric protocols and innovations.
For children in Eastern Kentucky, the partnership represents a tangible improvement in access to high-quality paediatric care and reinforces the commitment of both institutions to regional health equity.
