This exciting new chapter builds on the long legacy that started with Dr. Harold Kleinert, Dr. Joseph Kutz, Jewish Hospital and UofL Physicians. Together, they put Louisville on the world map for hand surgery, including:

• Hand transplants
• Zone II Tendon repair
• Digital artery repair
• Toe-to-hand transfer
• Free epiphyseal transfer
• Total distal radio-ulnar joint replacement
• Total wrist resurfacing and replacement

As UofL Health – Kleinert Kutz Hand Care, the expertise and innovation will continue with ongoing commitment to delivering the highest quality hand and upper extremity care to our community and beyond. Patients who have traveled thousands of miles routinely seek out our specialized care, and our team of fellowship-trained general, orthopedic and plastic surgeons continue to consult on cases all over the world and train future hand care experts.

The legacy of Drs. Kleinert and Kutz is now carried on through the expertise of:

• Elkin J. Galvis, M.D.
• Rodrigo Moreno, M.D.
• Margaret Napolitano, M.D., FACS
• Tuna Özyurekoglu, M.D.
• Michelle D. Palazzo, M.D.
• Monica B. Pecache
• Sunil Thirkannad, M.D.
• Wesley Lykins, PA-C

Practice and therapy locations will remain the same. These locations include Jewish Hospital Outpatient Care Center, two additional Louisville sites, as well as branches in Lexington and New Albany, Indiana. UofL Health and Kleinert Kutz will also partner on the Ambulatory Surgery Center in New Albany, making minimally invasive surgical care more convenient for our patients. Kleinert Kutz’s eight providers and more than 100 dedicated staff members will continue to be an integral part of our mission to deliver top-quality care.

Additional media coverage:

• Louisville-based Kleinert Kutz Hand Care joins UofL Health (WDRB)
• UofL Health welcomes Kleinert Kutz Hand Care (The Lane Report)

The post Kleinert Kutz Hand Care joins UofL Health appeared first on UofL Health.

Ear, nose and throat care is a critical part of our daily lives. Disorders from the collarbone up can affect hearing, balance, allergies and the ability to speak or swallow.

The patient care clinic will be led by a team of six UofL Physicians – Ear, Nose & Throat providers, and offer care including:

• Comprehensive ENT
• Obstructive sleep apnea (including Inspire®)
• Management of allergic disorders (including allergy shots)
• Facial plastic surgery
• Cosmetic treatment of the aging face
• Hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness
• Audiology including hearing tests and hearing aids

Providers at the practice are subspecialized in:

• Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Complex sinus and skull base surgery
• Otology (including Cochlear implantation)

Conveniently located on Dutchmans Lane, patients across Louisville will have easy access to these services, thus improving their essential functions and enhancing quality of life.

The post Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Services Expanding in East Louisville appeared first on UofL Health.

The study surveyed 92 children and 64 caregivers who were participating in the program at the time—52% responded to the questionnaire, leading to the results published in The American Surgeon.

Students in the UofL Student National Medical Association (SNMA) worked closely with UofL Health trauma surgeons and Christopher 2X Game Changers to create the Future Healers Program in 2020. The program helps Louisville youth who have been affected by violence to navigate the trauma, and inspires them to build a better future for themselves and their communities by introducing them to opportunities in the medical field. The partnership has brought more than 100 kids to the program, and its success has inspired Vanderbilt University Medical Center to replicate the initiative in 2023.

The study found that children and their caregivers with significant exposure to gun violence had a positive overall perception of the health care community, a compliment to the longtime goal of the Future Healers founders.

Louisville has seen a significant increase in gun violence within the last decade. The health care response from the UofL Hospital – J. David Richardson Trauma Center, paired with the Future Healer Program, aims to create hope for the kids in this community.

Read the full study here:

• Evaluating the Feasibility of a Novel Firearm Injury Prevention Program for Pre-adolescent Children Through Health Care and Community-Based Partnerships: The Future Healers Program Pilot Study

Additional media coverage:

• UofL Health research on Future Healers program published in American Surgeon Journal (WLKY)
• Published study shows positive impact of Christopher 2X Future Healers Program (WAVE)
• Medical journal publishes study on Louisville nonprofit program helping children affected by gun violence (WDRB)
• Future Healers program successfully driving kids toward future in medicine, study shows (WHAS)
• National publication highlights work between UofL Health doctors, medical students (Spectrum)

The post Future Healers Impact Study Published in The American Surgeon appeared first on UofL Health.

Jesse Mattingly and Desmond Gibbs, from Louisville, welcomed their baby boy Kobe Gibbs. He weighed 10 pounds, 5 ounces and was 22 ¼ inches long.

“Starting off the new year with a precious young one is an inspiring way to ring in 2024,” said Lisa Bunnell, manager of labor and delivery at UofL Hospital’s Center for Women and Infants. “We thank all the moms and dads for allowing our team to share their exciting expansion of their family.”

UofL Hospital delivered more than 1,800 babies in 2023.

Additional media coverage:

• Louisville couple welcomes UofL Health’s 1st baby of 2024 (WDRB)
• University of Louisville Hospital welcomes first baby of 2024 (WHAS)
• First baby of 2024 arrives Monday at University of Louisville Hospital (Courier Journal)
• New Year’s newborns! 3 Louisville area hospitals announce first babies born in 2024 (WLKY)

The post UofL Hospital Welcomes First Baby of 2024 appeared first on UofL Health.

“At the Brown Cancer Center, we have patients coming from all over the state to seek care. But for some patients, transportation is a barrier—whether it’s not having access to a car to get downtown from just a few miles away or not being able to afford gas for a three-hour drive,” Laura Jones, director of oncology screening, outreach, and wellness at Brown Cancer Center. “These funds from the American Cancer Society have allowed us to offer nearly 200 patients over 11,500 rides to treatment since May of 2023. With nearly half of our patients traveling a significant distance to one of our three cancer center locations, grant support from the American Cancer Society helps to ensure that patients can access much-needed care, multidisciplinary expertise and clinical trials at Brown Cancer Center, regardless of where they live.”

Why Transportation Funding is Needed

Lack of transportation to treatment prevents many people living with cancer from getting high-quality care which worsens cancer outcomes.

• In a study presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Care Symposium, American Cancer Society researchers found that 2.8% of cancer survivors reported delays in care due to transportation barriers. Cancer survivors who delayed care due to lack of transportation were more likely to use the emergency room and had the highest risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality.
• According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Facts & Figures 2022-2024, cancer survivors experience greater financial hardship than the general population for many reasons including the inability to work. They also have higher out of pocket medical costs compared to people without a history of cancer. The economic burden of cancer is more profound in survivors who are younger or were diagnosed in childhood, underinsured or uninsured, and have lower incomes.

“Not having access to high-quality cancer treatment due to where you live contributes to the disparities we see in cancer outcomes. It’s important to provide the funding and programming needed to keep a lack of transportation from impacting survival,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. “The local health systems we partner with across the country use this funding to deliver assistance directly to the patients who need it most.”

The American Cancer Society believes all people should have a fair and just opportunity to live a longer, healthier life free from cancer regardless of how much money they make, skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or where they live. In addition to providing transportation funding to health systems, the American Cancer Society runs a Road To Recovery program that provides free rides to and from treatment.

The post Brown Cancer Center Receives $30K from American Cancer Society To Provide Transportation for People in Cancer Treatment appeared first on UofL Health.

NICU nurse Melanie Keefe has been taking the holiday photos for several years. She also dresses them up in costumes during Halloween. The NICU nursing staff raised money and pitched in their own to purchase this year’s outfits.

Infants posed with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and even the Grinch, whose heart will surely grow three sizes after spending the afternoon with some of life’s greatest gifts.

Some of these babies will spend their first Christmas in the NICU. A NICU stay is never easy, but during a holiday, it can be even more difficult. This is a sweet way to spread a little joy.

Each family gets a keepsake photo of their adorable little present.

The post Santa Visits UofL Hospital NICU Babies appeared first on UofL Health.

LMPD Officer Nickolas Wilt Discharged from Frazier Rehab Institute, Returning Home

LMPD officer Nickolas Wilt was able to go home 109 days after being shot in the line of duty while responding to the April 10 mass shooting at Old National Bank. His heroic actions that day most certainly saved lives.

 

After multiple procedures at both UofL Hospital and Jewish Hospital, his condition improved enough to be transferred to Frazier Rehab Institute on May 10 to begin rehab.

 

Watch Officer Wilt's sendoff

UVA Football Player Perris Jones Discharged from Frazier Rehab Institute, Returning Home

Virginia Cavaliers running back Perris Jones—who was immobilized and carted off the field after suffering a scary spinal cord injury on the field during the Nov. 9 matchup with Louisville—was able to walk out of Frazier Rehabilitation Institute on his own to head home just 2.5 weeks later.

Watch Perris' sendoff from Frazier Rehab

UofL Hospital Marks 200 Years of Patient Care

Kentucky’s first hospital, UofL Hospital, celebrated 200 years of compassionate care, medical innovation and serving the underserved. Then known as Louisville Marine Hospital, the first patients were admitted in 1823.

Read full article

White Coat Ceremony Held For Central High School Students In Pre-Medical Magnet Program

Louisville Central High School students are one step closer to pursuing a career in the medical field and making a difference for their communities. The first-ever white coat ceremony for students in the school's Pre-Medical Magnet Program was held in February.

Watch the White Coat Ceremony

UofL Hospital Designated as Kentucky’s First Verified Burn Center

The Burn Center at UofL Hospital has been designated as Kentucky’s first verified burn center. One of only 56 verified burn centers across the country, this distinction validates the high-quality care patients receive from their time of injury through rehabilitation.

Read full article

Bullitt County’s Community Beam Hoisted at UofL Health – South Hospital

A steel beam, adorned with the signatures and well wishes from residents across the Bullitt County community, took its place in the structural framework  for the new UofL Health – South Hospital. The $75 million expansion project will improve access to care in Kentucky's largest county without an inpatient hospital.

Read full article

‘The Birthing Place’ bringing labor and delivery services to Mary & Elizabeth Hospital

UofL Health – Mary & Elizabeth Hospital is bringing labor and delivery services back to South Louisville for the first time in nearly 50 years. "The Birthing Place" will serve zip codes with some of the highest birth rates in Jefferson County.

Read full article

A permanent COVID-19 memorial now lives at the Kentucky State Capitol

UofL Health was honored to be represented at the dedication of the permanent Kentucky COVID Memorial on the grounds of the Kentucky State Capitol. The memorial—titled “United We Stand. Divided We Fall”—honors the more than 18,000 Kentuckians lost during the pandemic.

Watch the ceremony

Foundation of UofL Hospital West Tower takes shape

UofL Health COO Ken Marshall and Senior VP of Operations Steve Amsler guided tours of the UofL Hospital West Tower construction site to provide an update on the $144 million expansion project.

Watch the update

60,000 Hearts Mended at UofL Health – Heart Hospital in first year

The UofL Health – Heart Hospital team celebrated its one-year anniversary in August. In just one year, the Heart Hospital has cared for more than 60,000 patients, including people from 46 states and 118 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

Read full article

The post Take a Look Back at UofL Health’s Top Stories of 2023 appeared first on UofL Health.

Hilda devoted her life to her work and gave generously of her talents and uplifting spirit to the patients she served. It is fitting that we continue to honor her while we are reminded through the pandemic and beyond of the tireless efforts put forth by our present-day health care professionals.

The first candle was lit at sundown on the first day of Hanukkah on Thursday, Dec. 7 by the Fox family.

The post Fox Family Hanukkah Menorah Will Be Lit For 66th Year appeared first on UofL Health.

The presentation was part of an effort to support the growth of health care career pathways, particularly for historically underserved populations, and just one example of how UofL Health is working together with Jefferson County Public Schools to introduce students to a variety of occupations in the health care field. In 2023, UofL Health donated a total of $50,000 to eight JCPS schools to support initiatives that focus on equity, inclusion and increasing diversity in health care careers.

UofL Health works with individual schools to determine how the donations will be spent. Schools receiving donations include:

• Seneca High School
• Fairdale High School
• J. Graham Brown School
• Jeffersontown High School
• Waggener High School
• Butler Traditional High School
• Ballard High School
• Iroquois High School

Additional media coverage:

• JCPS students learn sport sideline training techniques from UofL Health Sports Medicine (WDRB)
• JCPS high school students get hands-on training from UofL Health (WLKY)
• High school students learn about health field through hands-on approach (Spectrum)

The post Fairdale High School Students Learn Sideline Athletic Training Techniques appeared first on UofL Health.

Patients are examined by the multidisciplinary staff trained in wound care who provide a comprehensive approach to treatment, from evaluating all possible physical conditions for the wound that could interfere with proper healing, to developing treatment plans for maximum healing and relief. This outpatient center will be especially beneficial for patients who might struggle with slow-to-heal or non-healing wounds, foot or leg ulcers, surgical wounds that have opened, internal injuries or open wounds from radiation therapy, or acute traumatic and crush injuries.

“The opening of the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center is just one more way that Mary & Elizabeth Hospital is better serving South Louisville with improved access and compassionate care,” said Melisa Adkins, CEO of Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. “Our dedicated clinical staff understands the totality of the patient from a perspective of wound healing. We are working to treat not only the wound, but the underlying cause of the wound.”

The 2,600 square-foot space sits inside Medical Plaza 1 on the Mary & Elizabeth Hospital campus. The highly skilled team of physicians, nurses and technicians dedicated to the center won’t only have advanced training in wound care but hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) as well.

The treatment is especially beneficial for diabetic patients with non-healing ulcers as well as conditions without open wounds. HBO promotes healing by increasing the level of oxygen in the tissue and improving the healing efficiency of the white blood cells. Therapy is administered in a hyperbaric chamber that delivers 100% oxygen with increased atmospheric pressure, stimulating the entire body’s natural healing responses. Patients undergoing therapy have complete privacy in comfortable, individual chambers equipped with televisions and headphones.

Mary & Elizabeth Hospital is approaching 150 years of caring for patients and consistently pushes growth in order to nurse the needs of the community. In 2023 alone, it has opened the doors to its community pharmacy and announced the return of labor and delivery services in South Louisville with The Birthing Place, scheduled to open in 2025. The Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center is just another example of the dedication to Louisvillians west of I-65 and beyond.

Additional media coverage:

• Wound healing care comes to South Louisville (WAVE)
• UofL Health opens new wound care center in south Louisville (WLKY)
• UofL Health expanding access to health care in south Louisville (Spectrum)

The post Wound Care Services Expand in South Louisville appeared first on UofL Health.

The senior running back was injured during the Cavaliers’ game against Louisville game on Nov. 9 at L&N Stadium.

Jones was aided by the quick response of the UofL Health – Sports Medicine team on the sideline of the game and throughout his care. Jones underwent spine surgery at UofL Hospital, followed by physical and occupational therapy at Frazier Rehabilitation Institute.

From the football field through surgery and rehab, the comprehensive and integrated system of care has contributed to Jones’ recovery success.

Jones has made tremendous progress and is now healthy for travel and will continue his rehabilitation journey in Virginia.

Additional media coverage:

• UVA RB Perris Jones heads home 3 weeks after spinal injury (ESPN)
• Virginia RB Perris Jones walks out of Louisville hospital after spinal surgery, rehab (Associated Press)
• Virginia’s Perris Jones heads home to continue rehab from spinal injury (The Washington Post)
• Perris Jones Discharged From Frazier Rehab Institute, Returning Home to Virginia (Sports Illustrated)
• Virginia RB Perris Jones is heading home: ‘This is a young guy who doesn’t stop’ (247 Sports)
• Virginia RB Perris Jones walks out of Louisville hospital after spinal surgery, rehab (Fox Sports)
• Weeks after frightening football injury, Virginia’s Perris Jones heads home an inspiration (WDRB)
• Virginia football player injured during UofL game leaves Louisville rehab center (WLKY)
• UVA football player Perris Jones released from Frazier Rehabilitation Institute (WAVE)
• Perris Jones heads home after being released from Frazier Rehabilitation Institute (WHAS)
• Perris Jones, Virginia RB who suffered scary injury vs. Louisville, discharged from hospital (Courier Journal)
• An ‘eternally grateful’ Perris Jones released from hospital, returns home (UVA Today)

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“My mom loved Thanksgiving—the food and spending time with those she loved. She made the best corn pudding, and now I make it every year,” said Alex Gift.

Mary Jane Gift lost her life to cancer in 2010. In honor of her life, sons Alex and Tommy Gift established the Mary Jane Gift Quality of Life Fund at the UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center as a way to help patients and their families enjoy life while facing a cancer diagnosis.

“We want patients and their families to know they are not alone and that people care. We also want them to know that cancer doesn’t have to define them,” Tommy Gift said. Tommy also serves on the Regional Cancer Center Corporation board for the Brown Cancer Center.

Each year, the Gift brothers also host an annual volleyball tournament, Spike It To Cancer, to raise money for the fund. The event includes both a pro and amateur division.

Money from the fund also supports short-term housing for BMT patients and their families who require lengthy treatment plans and must stay nearby following discharge from the hospital.

Donations to the Mary Jane Gift Qualify of Life Fund can be made at Give.Louisville.edu/MaryJaneGift.

Additional media coverage:

• Brothers provide Thanksgiving dinner to bone marrow patients at UofL Hospital (WLKY)
• Brothers honor late mother by serving Thanksgiving dinner to patients at Louisville hospital (WDRB)
• Local family donates meals to cancer patients at UofL for Thanksgiving (WAVE)

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