The closure of Ashland, Ky.-based Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital in April 2020 left the city with only one health system — King's Daughters — but the University of Kentucky stepped in to help boost the hospital, Politico reported July 10.
In 2020, the university helped the system navigate telehealth technology, supply chain issues and capacity needs, according to the report. That led to the university acquiring the King's Daughters in December 2022. Though the health system and university have kept separate identities, Eric Monday, the university's executive vice president for finance and administration, said that "using the blue" (UK's brand) has added value.
The acquisition has allowed the hospital to serve more patients, update its facilities and make it easier for patients to access specialized care, according to the report. The acquisition also helped the university address the region's healthcare worker shortage. Mr. Monday said the vast majority of college students end up staying in the area they attended school.
"It’s the same thing here," Mr. Monday said. "We can move them into these rural communities and they become embedded, have a great clinical experience or resident experience, then that provides a higher opportunity to grow the physician base in that area."