How Norton Children’s is expanding services in Kentucky and Indiana
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
NEW MFM DOCTOR AT CHI SAINT JOSEPH HEALTH
LEGACY NEONATOLOGIST AT ARH
PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDICS AT SHRINERS CHILDREN’S LEXINGTON
GYN-ONCOLOGICAL SURGEON AT UOFL HEALTH
GENERAL OB-GYN CARE AT WOMEN FIRST OF LOUISVILLE WOMEN’S HEALTH AT KY DEPT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
At Saint Joseph Health, our obstetricians and certified nurse midwives deliver expert, compassionate care through every stage of pregnancy. From natural deliveries to high-risk cases, we take a collaborative approach to support both mother and baby.
Learn more at CommonSpirit.org/SaintJosephHealth. Bardstown · Lexington · London · Mount Sterling
2025
ISSUE #159 (September)
MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH
Orthopedics, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, PT/OT
ISSUE #160 (October) CANCER CARE
Hematology, Oncology, Plastic Surgery, Radiology, Radiation
ISSUE #161 (December)
IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD
ENT, Mental Health, Neurology, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Pain Medicine, Psychiatry
2026
ISSUE #162 (February)
HEART & LUNG HEALTH
Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine, Pulmonology, Sleep Medicine, Vascular Medicine, Bariatric Surgery
ISSUE #163 (April)
INTERNAL & EXTERNAL SYSTEMS
Dermatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Geriatric Medicine, Internal Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Infectious Disease Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, Nephrology, Urology
ISSUE #164 (June)
WOMEN & CHILDREN’S HEALTH
OB-GYN, Women’s Cardiology, Oncology, Urology, Pediatrics, Radiology
Editorial topics and dates are subject to change
To participate, please contact Gil Dunn, Publisher GDUNN@MD-UPDATE.COM
859.309.0720 (direct) • 859.608.8454 (cell) Send press releases to gdunn@md-update.com
WE HAVE A great issue of MD-Update for you this month, one of our biggest issues ever. My appreciation and gratitude go out to the physicians who took their time to speak with us and have their picture taken.
If there’s a recurring theme in this Women & Children’s Health issue of MD-Update, it’s the continuing advancement in care for BOTH women and children in Kentuckiana. Our cover story describes the growth of pediatric care in cardiology and neurology at Norton Healthcare. Our special section stories focus on doctors in OB-GYN, maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric orthopedics, gynecological oncology, women’s health in the public health sector, and continuing care for post-adolescent autistic individuals.
I hope you enjoy getting to know these fellow physicians and the work they are doing.
When I started MD-Update in 2010, an attorney friend told me that I needed to talk to Dr. Preston Nunnelley if I wanted to know “what was what” in Kentucky medicine. I knew the name Preston Nunnelley and his position as chief medical officer at Central Baptist. I then learned about his position as chair of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure and his numerous roles at the Lexington Medical Society and the Kentucky Medical Association.
It took a while but in 2015, I finally had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Nunnelley in his office for a conversation. Our 30 minutes turned into an hour plus. The interview ran in two separate issues of MD-Update, January and February issues 90 and 91. You can find it on the MD-Update website.
I really got to know Dr. Nunnelley while sitting next to him, sharing a bag of peanuts and a cold Coke or hot chocolate at high school baseball games. Preston’s grandson Wyatt and my son Chandler played on the same Henry Clay High School team in 2015–2016. There’s a lot of time during a high school baseball game to talk about any number of topics, and we did.
Dr. Nunnelley was as fine an example of physician-servant-leader as I’ve ever met.
The 2025–26 MD-Update editorial calendar is on the preceding page. When you see your specialty and you have a story to tell, contact me. If your specialty isn’t included, that’s another reason to reach out to me. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!
MD-UPDATE
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Volume 15, number 3 ISSUE #158
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Kentucky’s largest and oldest physician-owned, multispecialty medical group has a new facility
LEXINGTON On Saturday May 17, 2025, Lexington Clinic marked a major milestone with the official ribbon cutting and grand opening of its new Orthopedic and Neuroscience Center, now fully operational at 1207 South Broadway. The event brought together community leaders, patients, and providers to celebrate the opening of the state-of-the-art facility, which unites multiple high-demand specialties under one roof to deliver comprehensive patient care.
“This is more than a building — it’s a promise kept to our patients and our community,” said Stephen J. Behnke, MD, CEO of Lexington Clinic, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “By integrating key services and specialties, we’ve created a space where care is
not only more advanced, but also more accessible and coordinated.”
The four-story center combines orthopedics, physical therapy, physical medicine and rehabilitation, interventional pain management, neurology, and neurosurgery, ensuring collaboration for the treatment of complex conditions. The facility is also home to OrthoGo, Lexington Clinic’s walk-in orthopedic clinic, offering same-day care without appointments.
“The response from the community has already been incredibly positive,” Behnke noted. “Patients are telling us how much easier it is to navigate their care, and our providers are energized by the ability to collaborate more closely than ever.”
A standout feature of the Center is its team of nurse navigators, who support patients throughout their journey, connecting them with the right specialists, assisting with
scheduling, and offering guidance through every step of care. This hands-on support reflects Lexington Clinic’s broader mission to deliver patient-centered care.
“This Center reflects who we are as an organization — forward-thinking, patient-focused, and deeply committed to improving lives,” added Behnke. “We’re proud to continue our legacy of excellence in a way that truly meets the needs of today’s patients.”
Additionally, the Orthopedic and Neuroscience Center has two X-ray suites for patient convenience.
Founded in 1920, Lexington Clinic is the largest and oldest physician-owned, multi-specialty medical group in Kentucky, seeing more than 3,000 patients daily with more than 900,000 patient visits annually. Lexington Clinic employs more than 350 providers and 1,000 staff, offers services in more than 30 specialties in more than 30 locations throughout central Kentucky.
Thinking clearly about what retirement really means.
Upon hearing that our firm has joined and become the Kentucky presence of Mercer Advisors, the first question I get is whether that means I am retiring. My answer has always been, and remains, a qualified “no.” I’ve never had a retirement goal in mind, so I qualify my answer by saying, “you will know, before I do, when it’s time to take away my passwords. Forget about the car keys.”
Like some of you, one of my investment heroes has been Warren Buffett, the Sage of Omaha. At the age of 95, Buffett has decided to retire from Berkshire Hathaway, the firm that he has led for 60 years. Some critics have suggested that he stayed on too long; others fret that the company will lose its edge, despite its long history of success. The company has wisely provided a long runway for his retirement. He’s staying on until the end of the year, and the board named Gregory Abel to replace him on January 1, 2026.
I may not make it to age 95, but I have no plans for retirement just yet.
Rightfully, each of our clients’ financial plans has an assumption for a partial and/or full retirement date focused on the replacement of income earned by working with distributions from retirement accounts and social security. We are, after all, financial planners. In that practice, we have developed sophisticated optimization strategies for tax management of withdrawals, Roth conversions, downsizing or changing residences, and other measures to help make retirement more affordable and more enjoyable.
Before addressing the financial aspect of retirement, I once asked prospective clients what retirement meant to them. I have heard many admirable answers to that question, usually centered around gaining more control over time to travel more, play more golf, or take up or expand a hobby. I hear that in statements such as “I simply want to cut
BY D. SCOTT NEAL, CPA, CFP®, CEPA
“What, in your work, provides fulfillment?” I dare say, that it is more than simply having a job, or earning a paycheck.” — Scott Neal
back on the number of office hours worked each week. I’ll work until I can’t any longer.” Others say, “I just want to eliminate being on-call or making hospital rounds.”
A few years ago, I realized that may be the wrong question for starting the conversation about retirement. So, I am asking you now, before your next conversation with your financial advisor, to consider what, in your work, provides fulfillment. I dare say that it is more than simply having a job or earning a paycheck.
Back to my own example. I get a charge out of seeing other people identify a goal; and then develop, implement, and work on tasks that will move them closer to achieving that goal. Recognizing that plans rarely work out exactly as they were imagined, I learned that helping others deal with the pain of loss, whether a financial setback, unexpected health crisis, or even a premature death, led me to education as a chaplain and to practice what I learned when the situation calls for it.
1. When my dad retired at 62, after a 40-year career as a long-distance trucker, he quickly discovered that there was only so much home improvement and gardening that could be done. Perhaps more importantly, he also recognized that he had lost the connections that he had made up and down the road from
Cleveland to Miami. Mother was still working, and they lived rather modestly. So, he picked up golf, got together with one of his childhood buddies that had also retired, and together they played golf for as long as they were able.
After Dad’s death, my mother, my brother, and I were going through his personal effects. He had what appeared to be every imaginable club in his bag. But a very meaningful discovery was the large drawer full of his scorecards for what must have been every round of golf he had ever played. My brother thumbed through the cards. Some had frowns drawn on them; but most, later in dad’s life, bore smiley faces. He had progressively improved his game, had two certified holes-in-one, and had a very close friend when he died at age 85.
2. Years ago, upon my probing about her retirement, a client told me about her brother who was a surgeon practicing in California. He had practiced medicine for over 40 years and a month after retirement told his family he was going for a drive. He drove his Mercedes out into the desert, pulled out a pistol and shot himself. He left a note that simply said, “Last month I was Dr. ________, today I am nobody.”
Which would you call successful retirement? Thinking about what truly brings you fulfillment during your working years, and finding an outlet for those things that you will be giving up, is perhaps as vital as making sure that you have enough saved to spend ‘til the end, leave a legacy, and to take care of those you leave behind.
• If you find it difficult to even think about life without work, determine ahead of time whether you can ease into retirement by
working part-time, allowing you to stay connected to your profession and colleagues while you enjoy additional freedom.
• Consider pursuing activities you once loved as a child or teenager. I have retired friends, she is a doctor, and he is a professor, that, for the first time in their lives, are taking dance lessons. Still another collects and restores cars and then sells them — at least some get sold.
• Volunteer for causes that spark your interest. There are plenty of not-for-profit organizations that can use help.
• Join a travel group. You don’t have to go far to enjoy a change of scenery, meet some new people, and/or learn something new.
• Simply learn what it means for you to relax and how to do it. Let’s face it, you have likely had a very active career, full of stimulation.
Whether you plan to work to 95 like Warren Buffet, or you face retirement much earlier, it is critical that you develop a plan for how to deal with the inevitable changes that come after you have seen your last patient.
Scott Neal, and D. Scott Neal, Inc. have joined the Denver-based firm Mercer Advisors where he is a senior wealth advisor serving Kentucky. The opinions expressed by the author are his own and are not intended to serve as specific financial, accounting, or tax advice. They reflect the judgment of the author as of the date of publication and are subject to change. The information is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed or warranted by Mercer Advisors. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivers all investment-related services. Mercer Advisors Inc. is a parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and is not involved with investment services. Address comments and questions to him at sneal@ merceradvisors.com or by calling 1.800.344.9098.
IN AN EFFORT to prevent medical professionals from having to defend themselves against “frivolous” lawsuits, in 2019 the Kentucky General Assembly enacted KRS 411.167 –Kentucky’s Certificate of Merit statute. This statute requires plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits to file a certificate of merit along with their complaint when instituting their lawsuit.
Prior to its enactment, plaintiffs faced no threshold requirement to file a civil lawsuit. Medical providers were faced with defending against lawsuits from plaintiffs who anticipated developing evidence of standard of care violations during litigation, rather than before filing. Now, plaintiffs must certify that they have a basis for their lawsuit at the outset of the litigation.
To meet this requirement, plaintiffs must submit an affidavit or declaration stating that they have consulted with at least one expert qualified to testify to the applicable standard of care or theory of negligence at play in their case, and stating the plaintiff or their attorney believes from this consultation that they have a reasonable basis to commence the lawsuit.
The Certificate of Merit statute was challenged in two cases soon after it was enacted and, in 2024, the Supreme Court of Kentucky
BY ANDREW M. YOCUM
reviewed and upheld the requirements of KRS 411.167, finding plaintiffs must strictly comply with the Certificate of Merit statute or risk dismissal of their claim.
In Sanchez v. McMillin, et al., a plaintiff failed to file a certificate of merit when filing their complaint. The defendant medical provider filed a motion to dismiss on the grounds that the plaintiff did not strictly comply with KRS 411.167 at the outset. But the plaintiff contended their responses to requests for admissions concerning their pre-suit expert review substantially complied with the statute because those responses identified an expert consultation satisfying the requirements of the Certificate of Merit statute. The trial court disagreed and dismissed the plaintiff’s case.
The Supreme Court of Kentucky took up Sanchez on discretionary review in order to interpret the requirements of KRS 411.167 for the first time. The Supreme Court held strict compliance with KRS 411.167 is mandatory, and not simply directory.
In other words, plaintiffs must file their certificate of merit when instituting their lawsuit, and subsequent expert disclosures mere weeks later do not satisfy the requirements of the statute. The Supreme Court also held the Certificate of Merit requirements apply equally to unrepresented plaintiffs and to plaintiffs represented by an attorney. This ruling was consistent with rulings interpreting the same statute in federal court.
In McWhorter v. Baptist Healthcare System, Inc., the Supreme Court of Kentucky again examined the requirements of KRS 411.167 and held plaintiffs must attach the required Certificate of Merit when filing their lawsuit. The plaintiff in McWhorter failed to file a certificate of merit and their request for additional time to file a certificate was denied by the trial court. The Supreme Court again found for the defendant medical provider
because the plaintiff failed to preserve this issue for appeal.
While the plaintiffs in each case alluded to arguments concerning the constitutionality of the statute, neither plaintiff preserved this argument and the Supreme Court was not required to address the constitutional grounds for the legislative enactment of KRS 411.167. Although these cases did not center on constitutional arguments, there are no apparent constitutional arguments against the Certificate of Merit statute.
There are limited exceptions to this statute that providers should keep in mind. Those exceptions are limited to plaintiffs who are acting under a time crunch to file their case before the statute of limitations runs out or plaintiffs whose medical records have not been timely produced by a defendant. These plaintiffs must still file an affidavit or declaration establishing the reason the plaintiff was unable to comply with the statute and a supplemental certificate of merit that satisfies the requirements of the statute within three months of instituting the lawsuit.
No certificate of merit is required for plaintiffs suing over a lack of informed consent or proceeding under a claim of res ipsa loquitur – or a claim which “speaks for itself” and does
not require expert proof. However, a recent decision in May 2025 by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in Jackson v. Baptist Healthcare System held that litigants proceeding under one of these exceptions must invoke the exception upon which they are relying and offer an affidavit that no cause of action is asserted for which expert testimony is required.
As the law currently stands, plaintiffs are required to strictly comply with the Certificate of Merit statute and run the risk of a dismissal for even technical noncompliance or a late filing. As stated in Sanchez, trial courts cannot consider lesser sanctions for failing to comply with the statute, because anything less than strict compliance would render the Certificate of Merit requirement toothless. Medical providers and their legal counsel should carefully scrutinize incoming malpractice claims for compliance with the Certificate of Merit stat-
ute and preserve the defense afforded to them by the statute.
Currently, there are no pending challenges that appear likely to alter the Court’s strict compliance interpretation of the Certificate of Merit requirements and no apparent efforts
by the legislature to repeal KRS 411.167. The successful defenses of the Certificate of Merit statute inure to the benefit of medical providers in Kentucky, as it prevents frivolous filings and provides potential grounds for an early dismissal of claims not supported by expert review.
Andy M. Yocum is an insurance defense attorney with Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC. He can be reached at ayocum@sturgillturner.com or 859.255.8581. This article is intended to be a summary of state or federal law and does not constitute legal advice.
BY LIZ CAREY
LOUISVILLE Norton Children’s has been expanding its specialty services across Kentucky and southern Indiana.
Once known primarily for having the largest pediatric hospital in the Commonwealth, Norton Children’s has grown into a pediatric health system with more than 170 locations, seeing more than 1 million patient visits from all 120 Kentucky counties last year.
A significant part of that growth includes expanding specialty care throughout the Greater Louisville and western Kentucky region. With clinics in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Owensboro, Paducah, and Frankfort, among others, Norton Children’s brings a variety of services — such as cardiology, neurology, and neonatal care — to families where they live and work.
Steve Hester, MD, senior vice president and chief clinical and strategy officer for Norton Healthcare, parent company of Norton Children’s, says the goal is to provide care in many locations so kids can receive treatment without having to make the drive to Louisville.
“We really want to make sure we’re doing everything we can in terms of getting access quickly and then bringing that access closer to home,” Hester says. “At the same time, we want to bring in talented physicians who are focused on a variety of pediatric specialties like GI, cancer, endocrinology, and others.”
With that in mind, Norton Children’s has made nearly $10 million of capital investments into regional communities over the past two years.
“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for families to get the care they need, where they need it,” he says.
One specialty seeing significant growth throughout the region is pediatric cardiology. To meet the demand, pediatric cardiologists with Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, has 16 regional office locations, including Paducah, Owensboro, Bowling Green, and Elizabethtown, which are also staffed with full-time APPs.
Last year, Norton Children’s Heart Institute saw more than 6,000 patients from outside the Louisville area, using a combination of inpatient, outpatient, and telemedicine services.
Lucinda Wright, MD, medical director of pediatric cardiology at Norton Children’s Heart Institute, along with others on the team, sees patients from before birth to young adults.
Wright, a native of Bowling Green, grew up as the daughter of a dairy farmer before choosing to practice medicine. After obtaining her undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville, she attended the UofL School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency and pediatric cardiology fellowship at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York, and then returned to Kentucky.
Wright says she was drawn to pediatrics during medical school. “Pediatrics was really an easy decision for me,” she says. “After doing my pediatric and obstetrical rotations, I knew that children were really where my passion was.”
There are a growing number of cardiac issues facing Kentucky kids. Wright says most of her patients have congenital heart conditions that start in the womb. In babies born with structural defects, treatment focuses on intervention through cardiac surgery or catheters-based procedures when needed. But Wright says she’s seeing more pediatric patients with heart conditions due to lifestyle and environmental comorbidities.
“The lifestyle habits we start at a very young age definitely leave footprints for developing heart disease as you age, specifically the ones that come with poor diet and poor exercise and lifestyle habits,” she says. “We do see those at younger and younger ages now. It used to not be something that we saw in many adolescents, but we actually have an ever-growing population of teens and young adults who are developing early signs of adult-type onset heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, lipid disorders.”
As the need for pediatric cardiology continues to grow, Wright sees an even greater focus on expanding access, coordinating care among other pediatric subspecialties, and working with community partners to provide care.
Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, also offers pediatric neurology services throughout the region, including physical locations in Owensboro, Bowling Green, Paducah, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, and Shepherdsville.
Vinay Puri, MD, is chief of pediatric neurology at Norton Children’s. Brought up in Bombay, India, Puri obtained his undergraduate degree from KMC, Manipal, in India before coming to the U.S. where he did his training in pediatrics at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, followed by his training in neurology and child neurology at Washington University in St. Louis at Barnes Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Puri says he has treated children from all over Kentucky. “We take care of children from birth to 21 years of age. We also do consultations in fetal neurology,” he says. “Over the last 30 years, I’ve probably cared for over
120,000 children from across the region.”
Between 1995 and 2007, there were only two pediatric neurologists on staff at Norton Children’s, Puri says. Currently, they have 20 pediatric neurologists and 15 nurse practitioners providing care throughout the state. The added staff allows them to see more patients and participate in clinical trials and research.
Dr. Lucinda Wright is seeing more pediatric patients with heart conditions due to lifestyle and environmental comorbidities.
Puri says that a majority of his patients come to him with seizure disorders and migraines, but he also treats patients with abnormal movements or movement disorders like Tourette’s Syndrome, patients with cerebral palsy and development delays, and children with muscular dystrophies and other neurological diseases. Puri says in some cases, they see patients who have suffered strokes, have infections of the brain or autoimmune neurological and neuro-psychiatric disorders.
“The population of patients and the complexity of disorders is ever-growing. When I look back at a typical week I would have had 30 years ago, and then I look at what we are doing now, it is infinitely busier, and the complexity of disorders is much more,” he says. “We are also able to do so much more for these children now.”
Puri estimates the neuroscience team saw 32,000 patient visits last year. Part of the
increase, he says, stems from giving patients more access to care. “We have worked very hard to provide a seamless and streamlined approach to care with the goal of improving access throughout the state,” he says.
Hester says that Norton Children’s will continue to reach out into the state to provide families with innovative care and to ensure they don’t have prolonged wait times to see providers or to travel out of state.
“As a not-for-profit healthcare system, it is our goal to make sure we're getting care for everyone, and we take that very seriously,” he says. “And when you think about our most vulnerable population and children, how do we help kids get the care they need and they need specialty care? We want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to help children get healthy and get back to the lives that they want, and to make sure that parents feel cared for in that process.”
BY JIM KELSEY
LEXINGTON As the saying goes, two heads are better than one. The phrase refers to the idea, of course, that two people sharing their ideas, knowledge, and expertise are more likely to solve a problem together than they are separately. Case in point, an OB-GYN referring a high-risk patient to a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist.
“All patients who have maternal complications or fetal complications need to see the maternal-fetal medicine specialist,” says Jorge Lodeiro, MD, OB-GYN, MFM, at CHI Saint Joseph Health in Lexington. “It provides better care through joint treatment for the patient. The MFM takes care of the maternal and fetal problems, and the obstetrician takes care of the delivery.”
Lodeiro emphasizes that dynamic because he knows the importance of OB-GYNs maintaining contact with their patient. The referral to an MFM does not end that relationship; it simply ensures the patients – both mother and fetus – are receiving the specialized care that is needed.
“What we see is that many OB-GYNs like to handle everything and don’t think they need the MFM,” Lodeiro says. “It’s true – some of the OB-GYNs are very good at it, but you have to understand that the MFMs are just dealing with these problems. We are not going to deliver this baby. We are providing care for the problem only. That is why it is good to provide assurance to the obstetrician that the patient will continue being their patient.”
Lodeiro understands the OB-GYN/ patient relationship very well. Not only has he practiced as an OB-GYN himself, but his wife is also a retired OB-GYN. Taking it a step farther, the Lodeiro family is full of doctors. Lodeiro’s brother is a neurosurgeon
married to a nephrologist. Lodeiro’s daughter is a psychiatrist; his son is a vascular surgeon, and his daughter-in-law is a bariatric surgeon. If anyone understands the importance of communication and respect between disciplines, it is Lodeiro.
Born in Cuba, Lodeiro attended medical school in Venezuela, where he also did MFM training. He later came to the United States and trained at Mount Sinai in Hartford, Connecticut, and did a fellowship at the University of Connecticut. He went to the SUNY (State University of New York) Syracuse campus where he served as a professor for nearly four years. Next came 15 years practicing in Tampa, Florida, and additional stints in Philadelphia and Tennessee before returning to Florida in 2024. Lodeiro began at Saint Joseph on May 1 of this year.
Lodeiro is excited to be in Kentucky and share his expertise as an MFM.
“When I was about to finish my residency at Mount Sinai, the university told me they wanted to come and do an MFM fellowship with them,” Lodeiro says. “I liked it and got very excited. I have a passion for fetal echocardiography. I like what I do.”
Most of the patients referred to Lodeiro are expectant mothers who present with high-risk conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
“Uncontrolled diabetes when the embryo is forming significantly increases the risk of birth defects, especially cardiac and neurologic, which are serious,” says Lodeiro, who emphasizes that both the mother and the fetus are his patients. “Smoking also increases the risk of growth retardation of the fetus, premature rupture of the membrane, and premature delivery.”
Like any other patient-provider interaction, the relationship begins with an initial consultation that is equal parts listening, understanding, and educating worried patients.
Lodeiro is happy to be able to alleviate much of their anxiety in the majority of cases.
“When they come to see the high-risk specialist, the majority of my patients are very concerned because they think something is wrong. Seventy-five of the patients, we scan them and tell them the baby looks normal and everything is going well. Then we treat their disease and follow them so they can be under good control,” he says.
Of course, the other twenty-five percent of the time, the news is not so comforting and the importance of clear communication and understanding is paramount.
“There are others where we do find significant fetal abnormalities. Those are the most challenging patients,” Lodeiro says. “Obviously, it is not nice to tell the parents that the fetus has a significant defect that, if not addressed, will create incompatibility with life. They are very scared at that point. You have to guide them through the plan of action, what the steps will be, and how this can be addressed and corrected.”
Lodeiro then connects the patients with the assorted team of specialists that will be part of the treatment plan. For example, a pediatric cardiologist would assist with a fetus presenting with a heart problem.
Advancements in technology have helped increase the likelihood of successful treatment for both mother and fetus via earlier and more accurate diagnosis.
“Two things have revolutionized obstetrical care,” Lodeiro says. “The most important one is the obstetrical ultrasound. Ultrasound machines have become very sophisticated to the point that you can diagnose many abnormalities with them and the diagnosis comes earlier and earlier because these machines are providing very good quality of images. It also allows you to do treatment of the fetus
in utero by performing drainage of abnormal collections of fluid or placing of catheters to bypass obstructions.”
Lodeiro notes that the ultrasounds allow physicians to see how the valves are functioning and moving.
“You can see if the cavity is functioning or not because, using color flow, you can see the movement of the blood,” he says. “Some centers are now doing early treatments of cardiac abnormalities to allow proper development of the heart. Many valve obstructions can be diagnosed and corrected in utero with catheters, dilating the obstructed valves. You can correct it early and allow that ventricle to develop normally.”
Lodeiro gives the example of a condition in which a valve blocks a fetus’ urethra, preventing urination and decreasing the amount of amniotic fluid, which is vital for the development of the lungs.
“These fetuses early in pregnancy are diagnosed by an ultra sound that shows there’s no amniotic fluid and that the fetal bladder is very dilated with both kidneys dilated,” Lodeiro says. “Then you have to create a vesical amniotic shunt, plac a shunt between the fetal bladder and the amniotic cavity the fetus can urinate. That shunt is doing the function of the urethra. That is a difficult procedure to do because not having amniotic fluid, you cannot see well. You first have to inject some fluid and create amniotic fluid so you can then see things in the fetus and then you go and put your The issue about these things is sometimes the fetuses those catheters and you have put them back again.”
Performing these delicate procedures on such tiny fetuses requires skill, training, and the support of a strong team such as the one Lodeiro has joined in Lexington. With this collection of highly trained and experienced heads coming together, the likelihood of positive outcomes naturally increases.
“The majority of patients do end up with a good outcome,” Lodeiro says. “If not for the help that we provide, the outcome could be significantly worse. That’s a great incentive for me to keep on doing what I’m doing.”
JORGE LODEIRO, MD, OB-GYN, MFM
CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group
Maternal-Fetal
BY LASHANA HARNEY
LEXINGTON On a busy afternoon on the third floor of Shriners Children’s Lexington, Anne Marie Dumaine, MD, moves between exam rooms, offering encouragement, high-fives, and laughter to her young patients.
One teen beamed as she proudly showed Dumaine her Taylor Swift T-shirt — a moment that Dumaine celebrated with a big smile and genuine excitement.
It’s small moments like these that set the tone for Dumaine’s patient care: approachable, compassionate, and rooted in building trust.
Dumaine is the newest pediatric orthopedic specialist and surgeon at Shriners Children’s Lexington. She cares for children with a variety of orthopedic conditions, including neuromuscular challenges, clubfoot, hip dysplasia, and traumatic injuries.
"I’m tremendously blessed to be able to impact patients really early in their life, get them back to what they want to do, and give them the highest level of function," says Dumaine.
Born and raised in the small Northern Kentucky town of California, Dumaine always felt a pull toward science and problemsolving. She pursued a bachelor's degree at Transylvania University in Lexington before earning her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati.
While she originally considered a career in research, it didn’t take long for her to realize that her heart belonged with patient care.
"I quickly realized I'm too much of a people person for that, and I was missing the relationships that patient care was able to provide," she says.
Dumaine’s journey to pediatric orthopedics continued with an orthopedic surgery residency at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center as well as a pediatric orthopedic fellowship at Texas Scottish Rite for Children in Dallas.
Today, Dumaine is proud to be back in her home state, offering specialized orthopedic care to families across Kentucky and beyond.
During medical school, Dumaine initially thought she would become a pediatrician. But a series of experiences in surgery revealed
a different path. "I quickly found that my personality fit a little bit better as a surgeon," she says. "Really the biggest thing for me is the opportunity to get patients back to what they love to do and seeing that immediate impact for patients."
Dumaine found her perfect fit in pediatric orthopedics, drawn to the opportunity to provide care that spans from head to toe.
"In pediatric orthopedics, we’re still able to offer a lot of general care — whether it's the spine, trauma, neuromuscular conditions — and that really appealed to me, and made me want to pursue a career in pediatric orthopedics," says Dumaine.
Dumaine’s relationship with Shriners Children's Lexington began long before she joined the team. During her time as a medical student, she completed a rotation at Shriners and immediately felt the impact of the team’s passion and dedication.
"Even from that standpoint, it was just a special group," she says. “There was great education for the residents. Everyone was really passionate about what they were doing."
When the opportunity came last year to join the team permanently, it felt meant to be. "My sights were always set on Shriners," she said. Everything lined up — including the opportunity to care for a patient population she is especially passionate about: children with neuromuscular conditions such as cerebral palsy.
At Shriners Children's Lexington, Dumaine treats a wide range of orthopedic conditions, including trauma and fractures, hip dysplasia, clubfoot, and neuromuscular disorders. She also collaborates closely with the medical center’s motion analysis lab, helping children move more freely and comfortably.
Her approach to care is grounded in listening and partnership. "My goal for all of my families is that I always want to be approachable and want them to feel heard," says Dumaine. "I always hope that patients
feel like I am truly invested in them and helping them to accomplish their goals."
She also emphasizes open communication and shared decision-making with every family she meets. "I always want families to feel like they can bring their concerns and voice what they're feeling, so that we're able to reach their goals together," she says.
Dumaine is particularly passionate about caring for patients with neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy. Through a dedicated neuromuscular clinic at Shriners Children's Lexington, she partners closely with physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors from the University of Kentucky to provide comprehensive, coordinated care.
"We share a lot of patients where we're working on muscle tone and medicine management," she says. "We also continue to assess these patients as they're growing, monitoring for contractures, neuromuscular hip dysplasia and scoliosis."
By offering in-house equipment evaluations, physical therapy, and orthotics services, the team ensures that patients receive the care and support they need, all in one convenient location.
"We hope it makes for more simplistic and easier care when you have all of these people involved,” says Dumaine.
One of Dumaine’s earliest patient experiences at Shriners Children's Lexington will always stand out in her memory. A young patient came in after quietly living with significant hip pain for years, not realizing anything was wrong.
"We found that she had a slipped growth plate in her hip," Dumaine explains. "Once we were able to identify it, we were able to stabilize and fix it for her."
When the patient returned after surgery, her gratitude was overwhelming. "She said, 'Thank you. My hip no longer hurts, and I forgot what this feels like,'" Dumaine recalls. "It was an amazing reminder of why we do what we do."
Working with children has taught Dumaine powerful lessons about strength and resilience. "I think one of the greatest things about taking care of kids is how amazingly resilient they are," she says. "Whatever you're going through, just channel your inner child — because we can all learn a lesson from them."
Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey responses continue to demonstrate that Dumaine is already making a significant impact at Shriners Children’s Lexington.
“Dr. Dumaine was so nice and caring,” one family wrote in. “She took time to go over scans and pictures and numbers with me, explaining what we were seeing and what we needed to see.”
“She was the best doctor we have ever seen,” another family wrote.
One of the things Dumaine appreciates most about working at Shriners Children’s is the strong team environment. "From top to bottom, we just have a team that is all working together," she says. "We have so many resources here that are all housed in this building, which is amazing for families."
That collaboration enables families to access comprehensive services, ranging from orthopedic visits and radiology imaging to bracing, physical therapy, and gait analysis, all under one roof. "All of our teams work really closely together," says Dumaine. "I think that allows us to take really good care of patients. We are always accepting new patients," says Dumaine.
And for only being at Shriners Children’s Lexington for less than a year, Dumaine already comes highly recommended.
“We LOVE Dr. Dumaine,” another family wrote in on a 2025 Press Ganey survey. “She answers all of our questions and takes every concern we have seriously, giving us multiple options when available as well as plenty of time to think on decisions if we need it. We would recommend her to anyone.”
Shriners Children’s Lexington is located at 110 Conn Terrace, Lexington KY 40508. Patient referral at 859.399.6173 and shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/lexington
Heart disease is the number one killer of Kentuckians. We’re determined to stop that.
The UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute is at the forefront of the battle against heart disease. We are nationally recognized as a leader in advancing the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Our team treats a broad array of cardiovascular diseases including:
• Advanced heart failure
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• Arrhythmias and other heart rhythm disorders
• Heart attack, cardiac arrest, and other emergency conditions
• Heart valve disease
• Heart disease prevention
• Heart disease secondary to cancer diagnosis
• Heart disease in athletes and active people
• Heart disease in pregnancy
• Vascular disease
The Gill Heart & Vascular Institute is proud to offer expert, patient-focused care, offering the latest advancements in treatment and prevention. We work closely with referring providers to support your patients’ journeys to better heart health.
To refer a patient:
Call 859-323-0295 or visit ukhealthcare.uky.edu/providerportal.
BY LIZ CAREY
LOUISVILLE At Women First of Louisville, the obstetrics and gynecology practice is not limited to caring for women of child-bearing age, but to caring for women during all stages of life.
Katherine Shannon, MD, and Taylor Aiken, MD, two of the group’s newest doctors, say that while traditional OB-GYN care is important, care during adolescence, pre-childbirth, and post-menopause is as important to a woman’s health, and that of any babies she may have, as is prenatal care.
“Lots of women will come to us during those reproductive ages, between adolescence and menopause, because they are pregnant and they seek out care during that time of their life,” Shannon says. “But many times, I find that adolescent women don’t feel comfortable coming to the OB-GYN. Similarly, the other extremes of age, women who are past child-bearing age sometimes don’t even know if they’re supposed to still come to the gynecologist anymore. Those are two really unique groups and a good opportunity where we can educate and show where we can help improve their lives.”
Shannon says she is particularly interested in providing care for adolescent and post-menopausal women. After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky, Shannon moved to Louisville to attend medical school at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. In 2013, she completed her residency at the University of Cincinnati.
“I like to counsel younger women on pregnancy prevention, having healthy sexual relationships, and the prevention of STDs,” she says. “I like to see women early because those first visits often don’t even involve a pelvic exam and it’s a great chance to make them comfortable in our office and show them that they can be comfortable in asking those ques-
Katherine Shannon, MD, OB-GYN
“Refining our use of hormone replacement therapy in ways that we can do it more safely and more effectively has been one of the biggest changes in our post-menopausal care.”
— Katherine Shannon, MD, OB-GYN
tions and talking about more sensitive issues in a really non-judgmental setting.”
The same is true for older women, Shannon says.
“That’s a time where we can really address their day-to-day comfort if they’re having menopausal symptoms,” she says. “I like talking about sexual health in that age group as well, where a lot of women feel like there’s nothing left to offer. They might not even know to ask
PHOTO BY GIL DUNN
those questions, but there’s a chance that we can really help to improve their quality of life with some really simple things.”
Women’s OB-GYN care has changed quite a bit over the past few decades, says Shannon and it is helping women in ways it didn’t before. “In the past 20 to 40 years, there have been some major transformations in those areas of women’s health care.”
Among those are changes in hormone replacement therapy. After studies in the 1990s suggested an increase in cancer for those using hormone replacement therapy, new information has found hormone replacement therapy to be safe and effective.
“Refining our use of hormone replacement therapy in ways that we can do it more safely and more effectively has been one of the biggest changes in our menopausal care,” Shannon says. “We have also expanded our knowledge and treatment of perimenopausal symptoms, which are those years in the late 40s when we start noticing a lot of changes in how women feel and function. That was an area of medicine that was essentially ignored for most of my medical education. Now we’re starting to pay attention to this group of women and actually address their problems. A lot of them felt like they were shouting into the void and not getting any answers for a really long time.”
Additionally, Women First has changed in the use of pelvic floor physical therapy. In those cases, particular attention is paid to the muscles and tissues in the pelvic region and involves exercises, manual therapy, and education to improve muscle strength, coordination, and relaxation. This specialized form of physical therapy can help with conditions like incontinence, pain, constipation, and pelvic organ relapse.
“It went from a small niche area to now being very widely used for a number of wom-
en’s health problems, especially in the treatment of various forms of pelvic pain, vaginismus, and even for some urinary symptoms,” Shannon says. “It’s a great way to improve women’s function without having to resort to medications or surgeries that may have side effects or complications. It can help women regain their own natural function and muscle tone there.”
As important as taking care of the whole patient is to the practice, Taylor Aiken, MD, says, so is having the whole practice take care of the patient. As a practice on the forefront of providing women’s care, Women First uses a team approach that allows those new to the field to learn from experienced women’s healthcare providers, Aiken says.
“Our obstetric patients are considered the shared responsibility of our OB providers, which also means we share labor and delivery responsibilities and overnight call,” she says. “While a patient may see one provider the majority of their pregnancy, we try to have them seen by other delivering providers at some point prior to birth in order to increase the odds that the patient will be familiar with their delivering doctor. With more providers comes more connections to clinicians at different practices and institutions. That insight into how others are practicing allows us to look at our own methods to see how we may change to do better for our patients.”
A Louisville native, Aiken was delivered by Rebecca Terry, MD, one of Women First’s original doctors, now retired and a member of the Emeritus Physicians at Women First. Aiken graduated summa cum laude with honors from the College of William and Mary with a focus on kinesiology and health sciences and received her medical degree at the UofL School of Medicine where she did research on early-stage cervical cancer. After graduation, Aiken stayed in Louisville for her residency in obstetrics and gynecology.
Being around healthcare providers with extensive experience helps staff learn and grow, she says.
“We routinely evaluate our care methods regarding certain common obstetric conditions to ensure the patient is receiving high-quality care guided by emerging evidence, while also acknowledging the individual strengths and expertise our partners bring to the table,” Aiken says. “We believe this collaborative model is crucial to preventing burnout, as it affords our providers the opportunities to focus on their other identities and roles outside of work… so that we can show up to work each day as the best version of ourselves for our patients.”
The practice also works with other practices that focus on perinatology, or maternal-fetal medicine, and provides care for the mother and the fetus prior to, during, and after pregnancy.
Welcoming a child into the world is life-changing, and Women First offers the highest quality prenatal and postnatal care with:
• patient-centered care
• support for individual birthing plans
• a listening ear for patient’s concerns
• extensive genetic screening
• state-of-the-art ultrasound technology and sonographers
• 37 years of delivering babies
Get detailed information about our Maternity Care services at womenfirstlouisville.com
“In the era of modern medicine, our ability to diagnose, detect and treat various conditions has increased
dramatically
and
thus the role for expertise in highrisk maternal and fetal care has also increased.”
— Taylor Aiken, MD, OB-GYN
“In the era of modern medicine, our ability to diagnose, detect, and treat various conditions has increased dramatically, and thus the role for expertise in high-risk maternal and fetal care has also increased,” Aiken says. “Because we are a private practice, we can refer to any MFM group or provider to best suit the unique needs of our patients regardless of hospital affil-
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iation. Frequently our patients may have visits with MFM and us on the same day, allowing patients to cluster their care. Additionally, these are the providers who consult on antepartum patients admitted in the hospital, so we like to keep that continuity and familiarity in a patient’s care at the forefront of our thinking.”
As of January 2025, Women First incorporated midwifery into their service mix.
“Our midwife, Nina Berry, is a former labor and delivery nurse who has years of history and rapport built with many of our providers, having worked alongside them for years prior to joining our practice,” Aiken says. “She functions in a role similar to any of our MDs and is involved in prenatal care as well as labor and delivery responsibilities including overnight call with a Women First MD on standby for high-risk patients or emergencies.”
Like Shannon, Aiken says the part of her work that gets her up every morning is providing women with comprehensive healthcare that addresses their needs at all stages of their lives. And being a doctor at the practice where she was first a patient allows her to do just that.
“I believe women deserve more and better in their healthcare and I am inspired to walk hand-in-hand with them throughout different phases of life to provide tailored and comprehensive care to the women of Louisville,” Aiken says. “The birth of my own two daughters has fueled this dream even more… As a patient of Women First long before ever having the chance to work here, I leapt at the chance to continue the legacy of the incredible founding doctors—seeing the practice almost as a “child” of my own to lead into the future.”
Our team of skilled gynecologists and healthcare professionals offers a full range of services, from routine exams and preventive care to the diagnosis and treatment of complex conditions. We prioritize your well-being by delivering personalized, compassionate care in a comfortable and confidential setting. Whether you’re seeking support for a specific concern or routine care, we’re here to ensure you receive the highest standard of medical attention.
To learn more about Women’s Health services at ARH visit arh.org/womens-health.
A conversation with a neonatologist on the challenges of rural healthcare for newborns and their mothers
NOTE: Marjorie Haas, MD, is a pediatrician, neonatologist, and currently the Appalachian Regional Health (ARH) System Medical director for pediatrics and newborn care.
Dr. Haas, please tell us about your background.
[HAAS] I was born and reared in Dayton, Ohio, and began my career in medicine as part of a co-op program in high school, where I worked in a clinical laboratory. I maintained that position, while I completed a nursing program at the same hospital in 1977. Then I worked as a critical care nurse until I entered medical school at the University of Cincinnati in 1984. Upon graduation, I completed a pediatrics residency at Cincinnati Children's followed by a neonatology fellowship there.
Are there any other healthcare providers in your family?
My ex-husband is now retired from dermatology. Our oldest daughter is in her third year of a dermatology residency at the University of Washington and will apply for a fellowship in dermatopathology. Her sister is finishing her pediatrics residency at Washington University in St. Louis and will begin a neonatology fellowship at Nationwide Children's in July.
When and why did you choose to specialize in neonatal pediatrics?
I originally intended to pursue a psychiatry residency followed by a child psychiatry fellowship following my intern year. In the fifth month of my training, I did a rotation in neonatology and was hooked. I was very comfortable in the critical care arena, but I didn’t see myself as an organ system practitioner, as I prefer taking care of the whole patient.
When and why did you come to ARH?
I came to ARH in 2016 as a transition away from Level III-IV NICU care to a bit less acuity.
A good friend lived in Southeastern Kentucky and suggested that I come to the area because there was a need for pediatricians. I began working for ARH at the Mary Breckinridge facility and provided hospitalist coverage for pediatrics and newborn care at the Hazard ARH hospital. I have provided hospitalist coverage at Middlesboro ARH, Whitesburg ARH, and Highlands ARH over the years as well.
Describe your patient population.
Training in perinatal-neonatal medicine prepares you to care for humans in their first 28 days of life with a significant focus on mothers as well, because her pregnancy is the infant's medical history. Neonatology involves taking care of any newborn who is born prematurely, experiences birth trauma, develops an infection or otherwise becomes ill, has deformations or malformations that may impact function, or has inherited diseases or chromosomal abnormalities that can be life-limiting or cause significant morbidity. It is the only arena in medicine in which you can have a patient that weighs 500g and a patient that weighs 5000g in the same room and still call them "newborn."
Describe your first meeting with the parents and the conversations about choosing a treatment plan.
The birth of a newborn is a huge event in any family, generally much anticipated and dreamed about. If an infant is born with a medical issue, it is often very frightening. It’s important to communicate truthfully and proportionally. By that I mean explaining the clinical situation in a clear and under-
standable way. I will often tell the parents, "I promise I will tell you what I know, I will not keep secrets, and I will let you know if I am ‘Doctor’ worried." My goal is that they can trust that their baby is in good hands. Once they get beyond any medical issues, they are still going to be taking home a new baby, and I want them to feel confident about that.
What does a week in your professional life look like?
It is easier to describe my time as a month. For two weeks a month, I move out of my house and stay in Prestonsburg where I provide coverage at the Highlands hospital. I am on call for any emergencies, of course, but take care of all newborns and any pediatric patients that are admitted. Back in Hazard, I am on call for a week where I provide similar hospitalist support. I also see patients at the Hazard ARH clinic. In my role as system medical director, I am involved in education, development of policies and procedures, peer review, and other administrative tasks. I am also involved in medical staff governance for Hazard ARH.
ARH has been expanding neonatal care throughout Southeastern and Eastern Kentucky. How has this impacted your medical practice?
There are currently four hospitals in the system that provide obstetric and neonatal care. Our goal is to provide care to as many families in the region as possible. Having a Level-II NICU in Hazard and Highlands allows us to keep more babies near their families. As we have established a collaborative relationship with UK Children's Hospital and our nurseries, there are also more opportunities for education and training.
“ARH is expanding the provision of more specialized neonatal care in Southeastern Kentucky. We are trying to have as many of our infants and children cared for by the ARH system as possible.”
— Marjorie Haas, MD
Describe the challenges you encounter in providing neonatal pediatric care in Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky. How has neonatal care improved in the last 10 years?
The challenges in providing neonatal/pediatric care in Southeastern Kentucky are many. There are challenges with substance use, inability to access care, or other social realities that can impact the ability to have a healthy, well-monitored pregnancy. In the last 10 years, we have given some mothers with substance-use disorder an option to be in a monitored program that can provide medication to manage cravings for substances and promote a more stable pregnancy. We are also developing a better understanding and ability to care for newborns who may have been substance exposed.
What’s on the horizon for your medical practice and the specialty? What will be the next innovation and advancement in neonatal pediatric care?
We have definitely impacted newborn care in the area with two Level-II NICUs in the area. We will continue to enhance education to optimize that care. We will be initiating a specialized program, NASCEND, to moni tor and optimize care for our newborns who have been substance exposed during pregnancy. It is a multifaceted approach that involves "Mom as medicine" and a focus on nonpharmaco logic support for managing their withdrawal symptoms. It is supported by data and nursing-focused, and I believe it will decrease the length of time babies will be hospital ized at this very vulnerable time in their lives.
In the pediatric realm there is a real need for targeted mental health care. I really hope that we can work toward the establishment of a pediat ric psychiatric inpatient facility on the Hazard campus that will allow us to keep some of these kids closer to home.
What’s your “why” for being a neonatal pediatrician at ARH?
My "why" was initially to fulfill a need for neonatal/pediatric support in a less intensivist environment but became a recognition that I still have a lot to offer in other roles. I also really wanted to live someplace beautiful.
Stivers, MD, found her calling as a maternal-fetal medicine physician at Baptist Health
LOUISVILLE People find their careers in a variety of ways. Some follow the family legacy. Some are inspired by a class or summer job that sets them in pursuit of their life’s passion. And some are simply doing what they were born to do.
The latter seems to fit Stacey Stivers, MD, OB-GYN, maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) physician at Baptist Health Louisville.
BY JIM KELSEY
“I always thought I was going to be a lawyer, and then something just clicked the summer before I started college,” says Stivers, who grew up in Covington, Kentucky. “I switched my entire schedule to go into science, then ultimately pre-med. It was definitely the right decision for me.”
A first-generation college graduate, Stivers attended the University of Kentucky College
PHOTO BY GIL DUNN
of Medicine, followed by a fellowship at Indiana University and residency at TriHealth Obstetrics-Gynecology in Cincinnati. She joined Baptist Health in September 2024.
“When I was in medical school, I thought I was going to do physical medicine and rehab. I had worked with an athletic trainer and really enjoyed that,” Stivers says. “I did OB-GYN pretty late in med school, and I
fell in love. I just couldn’t stop reading and wanted to understand the physiology and know everything I could about pregnancy.”
Ultimately, it was her residency at TriHealth that led her to maternal-fetal medicine.
“They had a really robust maternal-fetal medicine program,” Stivers says. “I was frequently taking care of very sick moms and complicated babies. I loved it.”
During this time, Stivers was also raising her own young family. She married while still in medical school, had her first child while in residency and her second child during her fellowship. She says her own experiences help her connect with her patients.
“I had a difficult time getting pregnant, not necessarily infertility, but I had recurrent pregnancy loss and that really changed the way I took care of patients in those acute situations and the way that I counseled them for future pregnancies,” Stivers says. “It made me realize the vulnerability that a woman goes through with the decision to get pregnant. I’m very open about my experiences and I am happy to share my experiences with pregnancy and postpartum and the things I experienced as a female, and a mom, outside my role as a doctor. I think that can sometimes bridge gaps and make patients feel comfortable as well.”
The empathy that she demonstrates in her interactions with her patients leads to greater understanding and trust between patient and provider. The women in her care are referred to her from general OB-GYNs because of a high-risk threat to mother or baby or both. Cases can become particularly scary when what is best for the fetus may not be best for the mother, or vice versa.
“Maternal-fetal medicine has this unique position of taking care of a mom and a baby, and then there are also unique social situations,” Stivers says. “Much of what we do is creating a plan with them.”
Education is vital to the planning process. The more the mother understands about her pregnancy, the potential risks to both herself and her baby, and what options exist, the more informed a decision they can make. For Stivers, that patient interaction can sometimes
become more about listening and informing than advising and treating.
“When I talk about consultations, it’s not just about the quality of life for the baby, but I also have to think about the risk to the mother’s life in some instances as well, and supply patients with all that information for them to make the best choice for themselves and their family,” Stivers says. “I feel that it is my job to inform my patients of all options on how to keep themselves safe and how to best care for their child.”
Stivers’ practice is consult-only and consists of herself, her partner Emily Gregory, MD, and a nurse practitioner, Callie Durham. A typical week brings 10 to 12 new patients. She also rounds the hospital to check on patients who are having complications. Many of her patients present with very high BMI or are using tobacco or vaping, all of which increase the risk for both mother and baby. The positive side is that this can become an opportune time for patients to prioritize caring for themselves.
“I think that most women who are young and childbearing often don’t seek regular care,” Stivers says. “Pregnancy is a time when they have a second life to worry about. They often seek care for the first time in their life and sometimes find out that they have diabetes or high blood pressure because of their weight or lifestyle. It gives us the opportunity to intervene and make a difference in their life during pregnancy by counseling them and providing them with dietitians and access to smoking cessation aids or medications. Hopefully, that’s able to translate post-pregnancy and into the rest of their life.”
The ability to detect and address complications during pregnancy has been enhanced by technology advancements, most importantly high-definition ultrasound that allows MFM specialists to see inside the fetus’ heart for potential defects, among other risk factors. Additionally, sampling the maternal blood can provide significant information about the baby’s DNA.
“We are going to start offering fetal transfusions here at Baptist in the next few months,”
Stivers says. “We will be able to start treating anemic fetuses by placing a needle through the mom’s belly and into the umbilical cord to transfuse blood to the baby.”
Despite these advancements, not all pregnancies go as planned. Those can be the most difficult situations for the mother, the family, and even the provider. That is where Stivers’ own experiences, knowledge, skill, and empathy all come into play.
“The patients that are memorable for me are the ones who have the hardest journeys,” Stivers says, telling the story of a patient she had while doing her fellowship. The complicated case involved birth defects and an abnormal heart. Stivers helped the patient develop a care plan.
“I was still doing labor and delivery at that time and was able to deliver her baby and make sure she got her wishes following delivery,” Stivers says. “She spent five days with her baby before she passed away at their home. They were able to take her to the park and let her spend time with her big sister. I was able to get her through a difficult pregnancy while managing her desires to hold this baby and meet this baby, but not overstepping in the medical care during the pregnancy. I had a patient this week with a similar finding. I remembered that little baby and that mom in my head. I think it allowed me to counsel this family on what to expect and help them make decisions.”
Such cases are undoubtedly heart wrenching, but that is when Stivers remembers why she’s here. She was born for this.
“My big ‘why’ is educating women so that they can have good deliveries and go home with their babies. They can propagate this education with their children and then ultimately hopefully improve health outcomes for many generations,” Stivers says. “We don’t do a good job of educating women and girls growing up on what pregnancy entails, the potential risks, and the ways we can maximize pregnancy outcomes. I truly feel my job as an MFM is to provide these women with education. That is my favorite part of my job.”
Whitney Goldsberry, MD, gynecologic oncologist at UofL Health –Brown Cancer Center, uses the latest surgical and medical innovations to improve the lives of women with reproductive cancers.
BY DONNA ISON
LOUISVILLE In the field of gynecologic oncology, advancements in testing, medical treatments, and surgical techniques are leading to earlier diagnosis and less invasive operations, resulting in longer and richer lives for patients with reproductive cancers. Whitney Goldsberry, MD, at UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center is at the forefront as a gynecologic oncologist.
Within the broader medical profession, however, many may have a vague understanding of the many facets that are involved in this subspecialty, especially around training and scope of practice. According to Goldsberry, “Gynecologic oncology is so niche. It's such a small subspecialty that only focuses on women's reproductive cancers. This allows us to specialize in all those components. So, it's very different from other specialties.” In addition to performing surgery, she provides chemotherapies, immunotherapies, and targeted therapies.
After completing her undergraduate studies in biochemistry, achieving her medical degree, and then receiving residency training in obstetrics and gynecology from the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Goldsberry did a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Then, as she had always anticipated, she returned to UofL.
Goldsberry states, “When I was a resident, I had dreams of coming back to Louisville and practicing here after I completed my fellowship, so that was always my plan. I wanted to come back because I felt like so many people at the University of Louisville had invested in me and motivated me to become a gynecologic oncologist. I felt like I needed to come back and pay that forward and help future students go in that direction too.”
One of the physicians who made an investment was a former gynecologic oncology faculty member at UofL who exposed Goldsberry to the specialty and all its aspects. According to Goldsberry, “I remember going to the clinic with her at UofL Health, and realizing the
impact that she had on her patients and how delicate this relationship was between them. I absolutely fell in love with the field and realized that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Next, during her fellowship, she found another influential mentor in Michael Straughn, MD, professor and the J. Max Austin Jr. Endowed Chair in the University of Alabama and Birmingham Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Division of Gynecologic Oncology.
Goldsberry has now moved into the mentor role herself by serving as an assistant professor and is an instructor in the OB-GYN residency program: “One thing that I also really love about being at UofL is working with young physicians and getting to teach surgery, gynecology, and oncology. It’s very rewarding to have that role as well.”
When not teaching, Goldsberry has an incredibly full schedule treating a range of reproductive cancers. She spends Mondays and Tuesdays at an outpatient clinic and operates on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as well as the weekends, if on call. She practices at both the UofL Health – Center for Women’s Health and UofL Health –Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. The main types of cancers that Goldsberry treats are cervical, uterine/ endometrial, ovarian, vaginal, and vulvar.
Goldsberry notes the rate of cervical cancer has been reduced by half since the 1970s when Pap smears were introduced as a routine screening tool. The HPV vaccine has also been useful in lowering these numbers. However, many women harbor the misinformation that HPV is a disease for “girls” in their twenties and that the vaccine is only available for that population. In reality, a woman is at an 85% risk of contracting HPV at some point in her lifetime and should receive the vaccine as a preventative measure up to age 45 if they are engaging in intercourse. Goldsberry advises every patient in this age range on the importance of getting vaccinated.
Endometrial cancers are growing more prevalent, in part due to the obesity epidemic. Not only are more women being diagnosed
“The reason I choose robotic surgery is because it’s great for my patient outcomes.”
— Whitney Goldsberry, MD
with endometrial cancer, but they are also being diagnosed earlier. Meanwhile, the incidence of ovarian cancer has remained relatively the same, though new treatment options now allow certain patients to go into remission and live longer, healthier lives after the diagnosis, a welcome shift in the specialty. As with all cancers, there is a link between systemic diseases—heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, high blood pressure—and reproductive cancers. But, perhaps, the biggest contributing factor is smoking, especially with cervical and vulvar cancer. Subsequently, “smoking cessation is a very important component when I'm counseling these patients,” says Goldsberry.
Since gynecologic oncology is such a small subspecialty, Goldsberry’s relationship with her patients goes far beyond the operating room and encompasses providing additional treatments, counseling on genetics and lifestyle, and postoperative surveillance, which can last a lifetime. Therefore, she forms longterm relationships with her patients. “You really get to know your patients very well, and also, it's such an honor to be by a woman's side as she's going through this journey. I just feel so privileged to have that ability,” Goldsberry states.
Though each of her patient’s hold a special place for Goldsberry, she remembers one
woman, in particular, who made a lasting impression. She was asked to consult on a female in her mid-40s who was in the intensive care unit for a serious and complicated condition. During her work-up, doctors detected a pelvic mass and elevated tumor markers indicative of ovarian cancer.
A difficult surgery yielded excellent results; Goldsberry and her team were able to achieve a residual disease of zero, with no disease present at the end of the surgical case. However, when chemotherapy was suggested, the patient balked. Despite Goldberry’s recommendation, after enduring so much, the patient was hesitant to embark on another invasive treatment.
Goldsberry recalls, “I told her that this was her life, and that she was the one who got to make all the decisions. I told her, as her gynecologic oncologist, my role was to support her in that journey, no matter what decisions she made. She was so incredibly grateful.”
After talking it over with her family, the patient opted to proceed with chemotherapy and has been disease free now for over a year.
Robotic surgery has been a game changer for surgeons across all specialties, and gynecologic oncology is no exception. Providers at UofL Health can boast performing more than 10,000 successful robotic procedures, many of which are for gynecologic diseases and conditions. Due to the enhanced visualization and the ability to navigate very tight spaces that robotic surgery offers, Goldsberry chooses to perform most procedures using this technology. “The reason I choose robotic surgery is because it is great for my patient outcomes. They have shorter hospital stays; the majority of my patients go home the same day. Blood loss is minimal, healing is better, pain control is better—overall, patient care is better.”
In closing, Goldberry says, “What keeps me motivated, intrigued, and inspired is just wanting to make my patients’ lives better. I want to help women live their best lives, and the way I can do that is through gynecologic oncology.”
BY STEPHANIE ROSE, MD, MPH DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF WOMEN’S HEALTH, KY DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
FRANKFORT As an academic internist in Kentucky who provides preventive health care to all, regardless of income or insurance status, I was unaware of the resources available from the Kentucky Department for Public Health that help patients receive services at low or no cost to them. Two programs in particular, the Kentucky Family Planning program and the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening program, are life-saving programs that have been invaluable in helping to get care for my patients. Now, since joining the Kentucky Department for Public Health as the Director of the Division of Women’s Health, I better understand the programs and resources available to those across Kentucky and have made it my mission to help familiarize fellow physicians in Kentucky about these programs and how they can potentially help their patients.
The Division of Women’s Health at the Kentucky Department for Public Health was created in 1998 as a resource for the physical and mental health of women in Kentucky. Two of the primary programs in the division, Kentucky Family Planning and the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program, are federally funded programs administered at the state level that work to ensure access to female-specific cancer screening and family planning ser-
Stephanie A. Rose, MD, MPH is Director, Division of Women’s Health, KY Department for Public Health, also Associate Professor, Internal
vices. Through these programs, the Kentucky Department for Public Health has created statewide partnerships to promote women’s health education, navigate access to care and ensure quality service to those in need.
Kentucky Department for Public Health has participated in the national Title X Family Planning Program since its inception in 1970,
“I have made it my mission to help familiarize fellow physicians in Kentucky about these programs and how they can potentially help their patients.” — Stephanie Rose, MD, MPH, Director of Women’s Health, KY DPH
when Congress enacted Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Core services of the Kentucky Family Planning program include contraceptive services, pregnancy testing and counseling, optimal family spacing assistance, basic infertility services, sexually transmitted infection services, preconception health and preventive health services (please note that abortion has never been a part of Title X funding). Family planning services are confidential and are provided to both females and males, regardless of age. Services are provided through both telehealth and traditional visits and are income-based. Clients at or below 100% of the federal poverty level are not charged for any Kentucky Family Planning service.
Last year, the Kentucky Family Planning program funded over 50,000 encounters for women and men at 130 sites across Kentucky. To find a location providing Kentucky Family Planning services, scan our QR code or visit the Kentucky Department for Public Health Division of Women’s Health website below. Once on the website, click “Kentucky Family Planning” and use the “OASH Find a Family Planning Clinic” locator.
The other important Kentucky program for physicians to know about is the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program (KWCSP). The KWCSP is a federally funded program administered at the state level that provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to eligible women in Kentucky. Services like mammo-
grams and Pap tests are offered through local health departments and participating clinics around the commonwealth. Women 21 years old or older with a household income at or less than 250% of the federal poverty level and who are uninsured are eligible for free services through the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program. Women who are diagnosed with cancer through the program have access to treatment for their cancer from Medicaid through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program.
In December 2024, the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program and its partners produced a holiday gift that one Kentuckian will never forget. The KWCSP received a call from a low-income, uninsured woman in need of assistance with breast diagnostic services. She had received her screening at a non-KWCSP participating provider and had to cancel her diagnostic appointment due to the cost. The Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program
contacted a partner, Kentucky CancerLink, who navigated the woman to CHI Saint Joseph Health’s Yes, Mamm! Program, another KWCSP partner, to schedule her diagnostics. Diagnostics were completed at no cost to the patient in days. Tests resulted in a cancer diagnosis, and since she had received at least one service through the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program, she was able to obtain treatment coverage through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program. A few months later, a thank you note was received stating, “Best Christmas present I would ever get!!! Thank you so much!!”
The Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program provider network currently consists of 24 local health departments, 9 hospitals and 41 clinics run by 10 federally qualified health centers, and it’s growing. The program has exceeded screening goals within recent years and anticipates another increase this year of up to 5,000 women served in Kentucky.
To find a location providing Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program services, scan our QR code or visit the Kentucky Department for Public Health Division of Women’s Health website below. From the website, click “Women’s Cancer Screening” and then visit the link titled “Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program Locations.”
If your patient or someone you know is unable to access breast and cervical cancer screening or family planning services due to lack of insurance or ability to pay, we are here! No referral required. Send them to our website at www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dwh/Pages/default. aspx or scan the QR code below.
BY MARY LLOYD MOORE, EDD, CCC-SLP
BOWLING GREEN Recent CDC data reveals a startling reality for Kentuckiana families: Autism diagnoses in children have risen to 1 in 31 from the previous 1 in 36.
This sharp rise underscores the growing need for comprehensive support systems, making the mission of Lifeworks for Autism more essential than ever. Based in Bowling Green, Lifeworks is addressing a critical gap for families of young adults with autism, providing them with customized 1:1 support to gain independence and employment—two areas that are often overlooked as children with autism transition into adulthood.
Ensuring individuals with autism achieve independence is a crucial component of their overall well-being. However, independence alone is not enough—long-term health must also be prioritized. Physicians play a vital
role in this process, not only by guiding families through early interventions but by helping patients plan for their child’s future in a way that accounts for both their autonomy and their medical needs. Given the higher prevalence of comorbidities associated with autism—including gastrointestinal issues, sleep disturbances, and mental health challenges—it is essential that healthcare providers take a proactive approach. By integrating long-term health planning with strategies for independence, physicians can empower individuals with autism to lead fulfilling lives while addressing the medical concerns that may arise throughout their lifespan.
When parents first receive an autism diagnosis for their child, their immediate focus is often on addressing the challenges of the present. The demands
of daily life require navigating each developmental milestone as a new hurdle—how will they manage the transition into first grade, for example? This approach, while understandable, may limit long-term planning. While it can be overwhelming to focus on anything other than your immediate concerns, it is essential to consider the broader trajectory from the very beginning. By embracing a lifelong perspective, families can proactively ensure that as the parents age, their children have a structured plan in place for achieving self-sufficiency.
Preparing individuals for a lifetime of independence means fostering the skills and support systems that enable meaningful engagement with the world—whether through independent living, employment, or social interaction. Success, in this context, is not solely defined by autonomy but by the ability to participate in society in a way that aligns with each individual’s needs and aspirations. By shifting the focus from immediate concerns to long-term preparedness, families can create sustainable pathways for their children’s future independence and well-being.
This philosophy makes the need for comprehensive programming to support individuals with autism even more significant. Through the work of so many dedicated parents and caregivers, there are now many support systems in place for students on the autism spectrum from kindergarten through high school. However, there is oftentimes a sudden gap—a drop—where services and structured guidance disappear, leaving families and individuals without the resources necessary to transition successfully into adulthood. This lack of continuity is precisely what Lifeworks aims to address. We want to see a smooth pathway for all as these children with autism as they transition to adulthood and independence.
Individuals on the autism spectrum have the potential to work and live independently if provided the proper skills and support. Lifeworks provides the instruction and practice necessary to equip autistic adults with the tools to obtain gainful employment and succeed in living on their own without requiring lifelong public financial assistance.
Lifeworks’ mission is to provide the education, training, and support systems that prepare individuals for life beyond structured programs—ensuring they are equipped not only for employment but for the broader responsibilities of independent living. True well-being extends beyond basic care; it requires the opportunity to engage fully in society, cultivate autonomy, and build a future where self-sufficiency is achievable. By bridging these gaps, Lifeworks empower individuals to thrive, fostering a lifelong pathway toward independence and holistic success.
Lifeworks, the first program of its kind in Kentucky and one of just a few in the nation, offers person-centered learning with tailored goals and work placements based on each participant’s skills, interests, potential and strengths. This approach has led to an astounding 90 percent job placement success rate for young adults with autism in the Lifeworks program, far surpassing the national average of just 15 percent of adults with autism who are gainfully employed.
Lifeworks for Autism includes the Transition Academy, a living-and-learning two-year pro-
gram which was established in 2020 and is designed to provide the instruction and practice necessary to equip its participants with the tools to obtain gainful employment and succeed in living on their own.
The newly established Lifeworks On The Go is a similar program but is intended for autistic young adults who live within driving distance of the main campus. Just like the Transition Academy, On The Go provides support to gain employment opportunities and a comprehensive independent living curriculum.
Lifeworks staff believe employment adds value and purpose to every individual’s life and serves as the cornerstone of independent living. The person-centered approach focuses on developing participants’ employment readiness skills. One hundred percent of Lifeworks participants—many of whom did not have prior work experience—increase the number of hours they were working prior to enrolling in Lifeworks.
A day at Lifeworks mimics a workday, scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and includes a focus on:
1. Employability
2. Housing and transportation
3. Health, wellness, and nutrition
4. Life skills
5. Relationships
6. Financial management
7. Adaptability
8. Personal safety
9. Social skills
10. Leisure activities
Emerging research suggests that recreation, particularly nature-based activities like hiking, camping, or outdoor play, is an important component of wellness, especially for individuals with autism. Rather than merely offering a break, recreation fosters the growth and development of age-appropriate skills that are essential for personal and social well-being.
In this work with young adults on the autism spectrum to help them develop the skills to live independently, we ensure that health and time in nature plays a crucial role in their growth and well-being—a key unique offering at Lifeworks.
By integrating long-term health planning with strategies for independence, Lifeworks is working within the community to empower individuals with autism to lead fulfilling lives. This holistic approach ensures that independence is not just achievable, but sustainable.
Dr. Mary Lloyd Moore is a retired clinical associate professor and former clinic director at the Western Kentucky University Communication Disorders Clinic. She has provided speech-language therapy to young children for more than 30 years. Her clinical interests include autism spectrum disorders, developmental apraxia of speech, and assessment. She served on the Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders, appointed by Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin. She currently serves as a consultant to Lifeworks for Autism in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Reinventing yourself isn’t about giving up what’s worked. But when change feels like loss—like you have to trade something in just to move forward—that’s exactly when high-achievers get stuck.
Here’s what works better: Keep what works—and add a new move.
Reinvention doesn’t mean shutting down a part of yourself or labeling it as wrong. Your usual approach may not be working right now—but that doesn’t mean it never will again. You want to keep it accessible, for when it’s the right tool for the job.
You don’t need to trade in your personality. You just need to expand your range.
Take the heir-apparent CEO I worked with. He was hired for his forward-thinking leadership, but within a year, his brash delivery had clashed so hard with company founders that his job was on the line. His confidence shaken, he found himself at a career impasse.
CLIENT: I was hired because I have a feel for where the industry is headed and how to position this company for it. As I told them in my interview, “I’m the poison you need.” The hard part is that they know I’m right… and they hate it. They want me to change things, but they don’t want to do anything different.
DR. JAN: You seem to be facing the same dilemma yourself. You fast-tracked your career with a kick-ass approach, and it worked… but it’s not working now.
CLIENT: That’s true. I’m dealing with my own version of the very same dilemma. Looking at it that way, I even feel some empathy for these guys.
DR. JAN: You don’t need to stop being bold—you just need to add a second play to your book. Keep that high-powered approach
BY JAN ANDERSON, PSYD, LPCC
in your back pocket. We’re not replacing it. We’re just adding new capabilities—so you have more choices, not fewer.
That’s what real reinvention looks like. Less subtraction, more expansion.
I could see Client breathe a sigh of relief. I did, too. Because I know it’s hard to move forward when you think change means giving something up. Behavioral economists call it loss aversion. The risk of losing something is more powerful than the chance to win something. So we don’t move—until we realize we don’t have to lose to grow.
The same principle applies to our personal lives.
When you stop trying to win the argument and start asking, “What do I actually need to move forward?”—everything changes.
It’s not about overpowering anyone. It’s about outgrowing the stuckness.
Here’s the neuroscience: Real, lasting change—behavioral, sustainable change— requires more than a smart insight. It requires an emotional click. What neuroscientists call synaptic plasticity depends on a felt-sense experience.
It’s the difference between thinking something and knowing it.
Those visceral “aha” moments? That’s when new neural circuits form. That’s when old reactions start to lose their grip. That’s when something inside you says, “Oh! I get it now.”
The brain resists change when it feels like loss. But when change feels like a gain—when you’re adding something that makes you more effective, more capable, more whole—that’s when motivation kicks in.
My job is to create the kind of atmosphere—present, tuned-in, judgment-free—
that helps your brain open that window of tolerance. It’s a space where you can explore emotional discomfort without being overwhelmed by it.
That’s the foundation for real behavioral shift.
Like the forty-something professional who desperately wanted to end his marriage but couldn’t seem to get past the separation stage. CLIENT: I want a divorce, but my partner won’t even discuss it. I can’t get him to agree that this is the best thing for both of us, so we can move forward with our lives.
DR. JAN: Then you won’t be able to get a divorce.
CLIENT: (Stares at me in stunned silence.)
DR. JAN: As long as you make the divorce conditional on convincing your partner to go along with it, you’ll never get out.
DR. JAN (continuing): You’ll have to be the one to think differently, not him.
CLIENT: What do you mean?
DR. JAN: He’s not going to agree with you. He’s not going to play nice, either. So far, his tactics are working. So he has no incentive to do anything different.
DR. JAN (continuing): Yes, it would be much easier if your partner agreed, but you can move forward without his agreement. You’ll have to file for divorce, whether he agrees or not. Be prepared for him to fight you all the way and be very mean about it.
I waited a few moments to let it sink in. I could sense the emotional shift and see the client’s mental wheels turning. That mental shift—not needing his partner’s cooperation to move forward—was the jumpstart.
In that moment, the power dynamic flipped. He realized he didn’t have to wait—he could act. Not with hostility, but with clarity.
CLIENT: Okay… I see what you mean. Thank you for your time.
He didn’t schedule another appointment. When I followed up a few months later, I was amazed to see how quickly and efficiently Client had moved the divorce forward.
Strategic reinvention isn’t just for the boardroom. Sometimes it starts in a classroom— and ends with a complete life upgrade.
Client didn’t enroll in an MBA program to transform her personal life. She did it to level up her career.
But what she got was something bigger: access to an internal ally she didn’t even know existed—her Strategic Thinker.
Until then, Client had relied on persistence, adaptability, and emotional endurance to climb the corporate ladder. And those tools had served her well.
But the MBA gave her something she didn’t know she was missing: strategy. The ability to
anticipate, plan, and make tough decisions to achieve long-term goals.
Once that part of her was online, Client stopped defaulting to survival and started operating from intention.
It took almost a year to carefully plan and execute an exit strategy that ensured her personal safety.
But that was just the beginning of Client’s growth trajectory.
boundaries in her fractious family relation ships. From there, she was ready to approach mid-life dating—on her terms.
This process reintroduces you to underused or undeveloped parts of yourself that haven’t had a chance to contribute yet.
So let’s expand your range. And do it in a way that still feels like you.
Ready to turn your pain point into a power play? Let’s talk.
You don’t need to overhaul your personality. You just need a better strategy.
thing changed.
the system.
to more than your default setting—so you can respond to life’s complexity with flexibility and confidence.
have to force it.
of growth. Not shame. Not grit. Not
about parts of yourself you’ve been too busy, too stressed, or too stuck to use—until now.
LOUISVILLE A unique situation occurred when three sisters joined UofL Health Orthopedics. Even more unique is the fact that the sisters are triplets.
Allison Boden, MD, is a foot and ankle specialist. Lauren Boden, MD, is a brain and spine specialist. Stephanie Boden, MD, is an orthopedics, sports medicine, and joint replacement specialist.
Dr. Allison Boden received her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta. She did her orthopedic training at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital residency program. She completed a foot and ankle fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Dr. Lauren Boden completed a combined orthopedic and neurological spine fellowship at Cleveland Clinic after receiving her medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine, followed by her internship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Stephanie Boden received her medical degree at Emory University and did her internship and residency at the University of Pittsburgh followed by a fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at Rush University in Chicago.
Each of the Boden sisters are accepting new patients at UofL Health.
LEXINGTON Laura Ridderikhoff, DO, is joining the Lexington Clinic team of board-certified, family medicine physicians at its Beaumont location. Ridderikhoff is a graduate of the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, and received her medical degree from the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pikeville, Kentucky. She completed her residency at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital in Somerset, Kentucky.
Ridderikhoff offers treatment for pa��ents ranging in age from infant to elderly. Her services include general family medicine, adolescent and children's health issues, geriatric medicine, women's health, and preventative medicine. She is professionally interested in helping patients prevent and manage chronic medical conditions.
LOUISVILLE Visitors at Baptist Health Louisville will notice some major changes happening on campus. The hospital broke ground in April on a new $5 million renovation and expansion project at the Child Development Center.
“This project is completely supported by the Baptist Health Foundation through the generosity of many wonderful donors,” said Justin Leighty, executive director of the Baptist Health Foundation Greater Louisville.
The project will add 7,200 square feet to the hospital’s day care, including five additional classrooms, as well as an expanded kitchen, enhanced security, and new outdoor playgrounds.
Louisville’s Child Development Center provides care for more than 100 children from 84 different Baptist Health families, and there are currently more than 150 children on the CDC waitlist.
This expansion will allow more than 80 new children to have childcare at the CDC.
“In this building, first words are spoken, first steps are taken, first friendships are made, and lifelong connections are built.
This expansion will allow us to provide for more children, support more families and, in turn, support the mission of Baptist Health,” said Rebecca Thomas, director of the Baptist Health Louisville Child Development Center.
The Baptist Health Louisville Child Development Center opened in 1982 and was expanded in 1990. This is a two-part expansion with part one expected to finish in December 2025 and the remainder in April 2026.
LOUISVILLE Baptist Health Blankenbaker received a 2024 Up and Comer Award from corporate partner Intuitive Health for its service to its patients. Baptist Health Blankenbaker is a dual emergency room and urgent care facility.
The Up and Comer Award is presented to Intuitive Health partnered facilities who meet or exceed benchmarks for performance, including the “door to door” time for patients in the ER or urgent care and online reviews and reputation.
Baptist Health Blankenbaker exceeded several of the benchmarks, including positive Google reviews and patient sentiment on social media.
“For us, seeing where a facility falls on the metric of reviews and
social media sentiment speaks a lot to what is going on inside that facility,” said Jay Woody, MD, the Intuitive Health chief medical officer.
Woody worked as a physician at Baptist Health Blankenbaker and wanted to be onsite to present the award himself.
“It means a lot to me, in fact, so much so that I traveled from Seattle,” said Woody. “I know a lot of the clinical staff here and when I saw those numbers, this is very gratifying for me.”
Baptist Health Blankenbaker opened in 2023 at 11701 Bluegrass Parkway.
What sets the dual ER and urgent care model apart from other healthcare options is that every patient is billed based on their condition versus being billed based on the type of facility a person receives treatment.
Baptist Health Glenmary, another dual ER and urgent care facility from Baptist Health and Intuitive Health, is scheduled to open this summer.
LEXINGTON Saint Joseph Health and Saint Joseph Medical Group have announced their 2025 Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year award recipients. This year’s recipients are:
Saint Joseph Health Corporate
• Employee of the Year – Amanda Scarbrough, Lexington
• Leader of the Year – Joseph Higgins, Lexington
Saint Joseph Medical Group
• Physician of the Year – Amanda Smith, MD, Lexington
• APP of the Year – Autumn Westmoreland, APRN, Lexington
• Employee of the Year – Tasha Vest (Rosalyn), Lancaster
• Leader of the Year for Saint Joseph Medical Group and overall Leader of the Year for Saint Joseph Health – Sonja McCarty, Clinic Administrator, Owingsville
Additional Saint Joseph Health winners include:
Continuing Care Hospital
• Dr. Eliseo Colon, Physician of the Year
• Sara Staab, APP of the Year
• Nautica Beasley, Employee of the Year
• Terri Caldwell, Leader of the Year
Flaget Memorial Hospital
• Dr. Patrick Williams, Physician of the Year
• Teresa Michelle Mattingly, APP of the Year
• Hobert Humphrey, Employee of the Year
• Mashonda Smalley, Leader of the Year
Saint Joseph East
• Dr. Edgar Emerick, Physician of the Year
• Katie Cranfill, APP of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health APP of the Year
• Pueblo Rico, Employee of the Year
• April Jennings, Leader of the Year
Saint Joseph Hospital
• Dr. Samy Elayi, Physician of the Year
• Micah Short, APP of the Year
• Chelcie Scifres, Employee of the Year
• Heather Raygoza, Leader of the Year
Saint Joseph Jessamine
• Carly Smits, Employee of the Year
Saint Joseph Berea
• Dr. Jessica Pennington, Physician of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Physician of the Year
• Teshla Ratcliff, APP of the Year
• Melissa Agee, Employee of the Year
• Andrew Shoemaker, Leader of the Year
Saint Joseph London
• Dr. Cliff Freeman, Physician of the Year
• Kyra Gambrel, APP of the Year
• John “Tyler” Morgan, Employee of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Employee of the Year
• Kelly Helton, Leader of the Year
Saint Joseph Mount Sterling
• Dr. Jan Veloso, Physician of the Year
• Robert Coleman, APP of the Year
• Stevee Caudill, Employee of the Year
• Bridgette Jones, Leader of the Year
Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide.
LOUISVILLE Norton Healthcare announced the addition of new doctors to their expanding medical system.
Grant N. Gellert, MD, Emergency Medicine, Norton Audubon Hospital. Gellert earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and completed his residency in emergency medicine at UofL Hospital. Gellert’s care philosophy is to provide every patient with compassionate and timely care.
Katherine E. Howle, MD, Hospital Medicine. Howle specializes in internal medicine with Norton Hospitalists. Howle received her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas where she majored in biology/genetics before earning her medical degree from the University of Kansas. She is board certified in internal medicine. Her goal as a physician is to provide patient-centered care to maximize patient quality of life and outcomes.
Danova A. Lopez Fajerstein, MD, Infectious Diseases, Norton Infectious Diseases InstituteBrownsboro. Fajerstein earned her medical degree from the Higher University of San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia. She completed her internal medicine residency at St. Vincent Hospital and an infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Louisville. Fajerstein believes in treating the patient with care and compassion while committing to help and guide the patient and family throughout their care journey.
Natalie M. Mory, MD, Emergency Medicine, Norton Audubon Hospital. Mory received her medical degree from the UofL School of Medicine before also completing her residency there.
Amy R. Quillo, MD, Surgical Oncology, Norton Cancer Institute-Downtown. Quillo completed her medical degree and residency at the University of Louisville before complet-
ing a fellowship in endocrine surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Tennis J. Sugg Jr., DO, Emergency Medicine, Norton West Louisville Hospital. Sugg holds a master’s degree in public health and epidemiology from the University of Kentucky and his doctor of osteopathic medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency at Kettering Health in Dayton, Ohio.
Manford A. Wright Jr., MD, Hospital Medicine, Norton Hospital. Wright earned his medical degree from the University of Kentucky.
Sarah A. England, MD, Hospital Medicine, Norton Hospital. England earned her medical degree from the UofL School of Medicine and completed her residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Louisville.
LEXINGTON On May 20, Lexington Medical Society hosted a dinner social and symposium titled “Medical Litigation: A Survivors’ Toolkit” at the Signature Club. More than eighty registered physicians and guests attended this Kentucky Medical Association certified continuing medical education event with the objective of providing a cognitive framework for physicians to understand the medical litigation process and a toolkit of strategies to deal with it.
The symposium was co-chaired by Hope Cottrill, MD, president of the Lexington Medical Society and Andrew DeSimone, JD, of Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC. The symposium’s panel, in addition to the co-chairs, consisted of Steve Dickens, JD, MA, Ed, FACMPE, vice president of medical practice services at SVMIC; Katrina Hood, MD, FAAP, vice chair of the SVMIC board of directors; Margaret Pisacano, BSN, JD, deputy general counsel of medical risk management at the University of Kentucky, and Steven Smith, PhD, psychologist with the Woodland Wellness Group.
The panel provided a framework for physicians to understand the litigation process, from when they first receive the complaint from the court to completion, which could mean the case is dropped, settled, or has a court verdict. What was eye-opening for someone outside the legal profession was that, on average, a case could last three years or more. The panel highlighted mitigation and risk management strategies like the importance of detailed medical documentation and being careful not to comment on patient medical information on text messages or
social media, all of which could be considered discoverable in court. The panel members also stressed the importance of self-care while enduring the emotional stress of navigating the lengthy legal process.
This was Lexington Medical Society’s third in its symposium format series with previous topics on the opioid epidemic and augmented intelligence. The event could not have happened without the support of title sponsor, D. Scott Neal, Financial Planners and Mercer
Advisors, and gold sponsors SVMIC (State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company), and Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC. Upcoming this fall will be QPR (Question, Persuade, & Refer): Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training on Oct 14, and a symposium on international medical missions on November 11.
For more information on Lexington Medical Society programs, services, and events go to lexingtondoctors.org.
The principal voice & resource for Central Kentucky physicians
Question – Persuade – Refer
Suicide Prevention & Gatekeeper Training
October 14, 2025
6pm at Signature Club
Sponsored by KMA
International Medical Missions Symposium
Dinner Social
November 11, 2025
6pm at Signature Club
Sponsored by MedPro Group
Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation’s Gala is a big hit at a new location.
LEXINGTON Hundreds of notables from Central Kentucky’s business and healthcare industries gathered at the historic Fasig-Tipton equine auction center on Saturday night April 26, 2025, for this year's Celebration of Humankindness Gala, presented by the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation.
The Foundation says that more than $100,000 was raised to benefit cancer care across the ministry. The Foundation partnered with the local art community with 270 attendees bidding on unique local artwork, as well as additional silent auction items.
Last year's Humankindness gala funding supported the consolidation of the CHI Saint Joseph Health Care Center at Blazer Parkway. A foundation spokesperson said that “bringing medical offices and staff together has improved efficiencies in communication and patient care
and the facility is positioned for growth and expansion of oncology services.”
Eighteen sponsors and several hundred donors provided support to this year's event which lays the groundwork for additional programs to benefit future cancer care in Kentucky.
Matt Grimshaw, market president, CHI Saint Joseph Health, addresses the audience from the auctioneer’s booth at Fasig-Tipton prior to the live auction.
LEXINGTON A generous presenting sponsorship contribution from Stockyard Bank & Trust coupled with hole sponsorships and 17 teams raised over $20,000 at the Lexington Medical Society Foundation’s 35th annual golf tournament on May 21st at the University Club in Lexington.
Physicians, medical community stakeholders and financial partners answered the call to tee-off. Under partly sunny skies and breezy conditions, players made their way to the finish.
The winning team from Family Financial Partners was David Smyth, Hal Skinner, MD, Kyrk Davis, and Sloane Carlough, who posted a handicapped scored of 44. The second-place team from UK Healthcare was Jon Webb, MD, Lee Webb, Kevin Schuer, and Glenn Stroud, with a handicapped score of 49. UK Healthcare’s team of Tom Waid, MD, Bob Busch, Brian Thacker, and Drew Waid took third place with a score of 50 after a tie-breaker play-off with the CHI Saint Joseph Medical Goup team of George Dimeling, MD, Danny Nezat, Jillian Edwards, and Chris Wood.
LMSF chair John Collins once again steered the Foundation’s major fundraiser to a successful outcome. LMSF donates funding grants to Central Kentucky healthcare-oriented charities such as Baby Health Services, Bluegrass Council for the Blind, Radio Eye, Camp Horsin’ Around, Kidney Alliance of Kentucky, Ronald McDonald House, Surgery on Sunday, Chrysalis House, and more.
LEXINGTON, NORTHERN KY, BOWLING GREEN A medical school tradition, the Match Day ceremonies take place simultaneously at noon Eastern Daylight Time the same day every year at medical schools across the country. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) pairs the wishes of the students with the needs of hospitals’ residency programs. Match Day is for students in the graduating class to announce the location of their residency program, celebrate their futures as doctors and reflect on the past four years at the University of Kentucky.
Across all four of UK's College of Medicine campuses, 176 smiling students learned where they will begin practicing medicine.
LEXINGTON MEDICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION
35th Annual Golf Tournament
Presented by
LUNCH SPONSOR
DINNER SPONSOR
WHITE TEE & HOLE SPONSORS
CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
