Clark Regional Medical Center and UK Healthcare Join Forces
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For nearly 100 years, Clark Regional Medical Center has served the health care needs of neighbors throughout Clark County. And while the medical center has always gone above and beyond to meet patients’ expectations, a recent affiliation between CRMC and UK HealthCare of the University of Kentucky will bring additional high-level health care services to east central Kentucky’s growing population.
“We began to explore what type of relationship could provide the services this community needs and decided to develop this relationship based on the consistency of mission between Clark Regional Medical Center and UK HealthCare,” says Bob Fraraccio, chief executive officer at CRMC. “UK HealthCare wants to reach out beyond Fayette County and, as a state entity, serve more Kentuckians. Clark Regional wants to make more high-level services available locally. This relationship can benefit a large portion of east central Kentucky.”
While UK HealthCare already provides CRMC with oncology, cardiology and general surgery services through a contractual agreement, the new one-year management agreement, which began February 2008, will focus primarily on consulting and overall service.
“During this first phase of the process, UK HealthCare will serve an advisory role and will work to determine what services are needed in the community,” Fraraccio says.
“If this phase is successful, the second phase could result in a more formal relationship between Clark Regional and UK HealthCare. Through this relationship we should see an increase in specialty services provided in Clark County.”
According to Fraraccio, a community needs assessment will help the two organizations determine the specific services and programs needed, and how those needs might be affected by the region’s continued growth.
Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs, says the academic medical center’s ability to offer subspecialty care not available elsewhere in the region will help improve the quality of health care services throughout the Commonwealth.
“We believe patients should receive care at their local hospital, with only the most complex cases being transferred to UK HealthCare,” he says. “The level of medical care we provide, matched with our commitment to research, allows us to provide Kentucky’s citizens the peace of mind that they do not need to travel beyond the state line to receive the most advanced care, and often can receive the care they need at community hospitals. This enhances health care delivery at the local level and enhances the university’s desire to be a health resource for the state.”
Medical center officials expect the affiliation to result in more services and improved efficiencies for future generations of Clark County residents.
“The relationship is off to a promising start,” Fraraccio says, “with long-term benefits expected to be evident for years to come.”
Story by Melanie Hill
Photo by Antony Boshier
