UK St. Claire has started rolling out expanded services in the region. Hospital officials announced they’re bringing in seven new specialists who will offer more comprehensive care to patients.
Dr. Gary Bunch, Chief Medical Officer at UK St. Claire, said before this, patients often had to go all the way to Lexington to receive specialized care.
“We had to increase all the services that we gave people and get out of the mode of what I call boxing and shipping. Boxing people up and shipping them to Lexington. And we needed to get into the treat and street, which, you treat your people, and you keep them in the community. And not just bringing anybody in, there’s two criteria you had to meet, you had to want to roll out of bed and make a difference, and you had to be a good doctor,” said Bunch.
Added specialties include oncology, endocrinology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, podiatry, nephrology, and a spine surgery specialist. Bunch said these physicians will help keep the region healthier and safer.
In addition to the expanded roster, the hospital is working to develop nationally accredited programs.
“We just received one for a heart attack center, so we’re a certified heart attack center and we follow national standards and we open up all of our records and books to the joint commission surveyors to make sure were following the standard that it should be. Which is the same standard that UK follows or Mayo Clinic or Harvard or anybody else would follow, not just whatever we think the standard is,” said Bunch.
In addition, Bunch said the hospital is working to become stroke, trauma, orthopedic, and spine surgery certified. Officials said the seven new doctors will be joined by around eight others by the end of the year.