Staff Report

 

Citing the need for greater cooperation in the evolution of healthcare reform, KDMC President/CEO Kristie Whitlatch announced the medical center is dropping its opposition to a Certificate of Need for angioplasty at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital.

“Today, healthcare requires greater collaboration among healthcare providers and other non profit organizations. In this case, cooperation not competition, makes sense as it allows patients greater access to the care they need,” Whitlatch said. “Sadly, heart disease remains the No. 1 killer of men and women in Kentucky. By working together and making sure all residents have access to cardiac services, we can try to change that fact.”

The Certificate of Need application for emergency and elective angioplasty was submitted to Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health Services, Office of Inspector General in the spring of 2013. KDMC had initially opposed the application based on statistics that show KDMC’s cardiology program is more than sufficient to take care of the community’s patient population.

“It’s a new day here at King’s Daughters,” Whitlatch said. “We have to work together both internally and externally to deliver high quality, patient-centered healthcare with fewer resources than we’ve had in the past. One way we can do this is by creating partnerships so that we can maximize services to our community and allow our residents to stay in our community to receive care.”