By Matthew Keck —
The University of Louisville’s acquisition of KentuckyOne assets may already be having an impact.
U of L health care leaders affirmed their intentions to save the Jewish Hospital heart transplant program on Aug. 14. This was the same day U of L announced their plans to purchase KentuckyOne’s assets.
Dr. Mark S. Slaughter, head of the program at Jewish Hospital, told the Courier Journal that he intends to stay with the university to see that this happens.
The program is set to be suspended on Aug. 17 and inactive for at least 12 months or indefinitely. Failure to stop the suspension would cause serious ramifications, being that this is one of only two adult heart transplant centers in Kentucky.
The program’s inactive status would affect about 32 patients on the waiting list and U of L’s cardiology program. Patients would have to travel to the next closest center at the University of Kentucky to receive care.
U of L medical students wouldn’t have a place to fulfill their residencies if the program is suspended. Keeping this program allows students to receive the training they need to help care for post-transplant patients and recruit new surgeons.
Ken Marshall, the chief operating officer of U of L Medical Center, said getting the revocation is “one of the first things on our list.”
U of L was forced to act fast when news broke last month that Jewish Hospital would be closing in about two months. It is still unclear the process of getting the suspension withdrawn.
If U of L’s purchase of KentuckyOne’s assets goes through on Nov. 1 the transplant program will officially be under their medical program.
Photo Courtesy of WDRB
