UK finalizes deal to resume some pediatric heart surgeries

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – UK HealthCare and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital finalized an agreement that will bring some pediatric heart surgeries back to the University of Kentucky after a nearly four-year absence.

The health care systems said in a news release Wednesday that the first surgical procedure at UK under the new agreement will likely take place in late 2016 or early 2017.

In September, officials announced an intended partnership between the two health care systems, saying the collaboration will allow more Kentucky children to receive care closer to home. That letter outlined a proposal to hire a heart surgeon who’ll have a primary appointment at Cincinnati Children’s but be based at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital in Lexington.

UK’s pediatric cardiac surgery program was suspended in 2012 following an uptick in child mortality rates.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press