6
doc • Spring 2015
Kentucky
Profile
Frankfort Medical
Community
By Lowell R. Quenemoen, M.D.
The Capital of the Commonwealth is home
to a progressive expanding medical community serving Frankfort’s 27,000 residents as
well as a larger catchment area of Franklin,
Anderson and portions of Shelby, Owen,
Woodford and Scott counties. Over 150
providers serve the community. Of these
25% are hospital based (ER, Hospitalists,
Pathology, Radiology and Anesthesia).
Primary care (Family Practice, Pediatrics
and Internal Medicine) compromise 35%,
Women’s Health 10%, Medical subspecialties 10% and Surgery and Surgical subspecialties 15%.
It’s of note that most of these providers have
maintained the independence of soloists or
small single specialty practices. However,
an increasing number of nurse practitioners
and physician assistants are being included
as the increasing demands for medical
care and the Affordable Care Act impact
services. As overhead costs rise there has
been an increased partnering with hospitals
regarding billing and personnel. Many of the
hospital based providers are independent
contracted groups giving them autonomy in
hiring new partners and in divisions of labor.
Although most areas of medicine and
surgery are well covered, the proximity of
Lexington (30 miles) and Louisville (45
miles) ease the emergent referral of more
complex cases to the University or larger
medical centers. The FRMC has on-site
helicopter and ground transport services.
The current nucleus of the medical community, Frankfort Regional Medical Center,
started life in its current location as King’s
Daughters Memorial Hospital in 1974
replacing a smaller downtown facility. The
origin of the local hospital movement dates
back to 1894 when fourteen women organized to provide charity care.
Opening in 1974 it was licensed for 130
beds but over the next few years grew to
157 beds (now licensed for 173 beds). In
1993 a new ER and outpatient unit were
added and the name changed to Frankfort
Regional Medical Center (FRMC). This
is now a for-profit hospital operated by the
Hospital Corporation of America. Ties with
the larger corporation have streamlined the
process of initiating and funding new projects, centralizing billing and more quickly
adapting to the requirements of new healthcare legislation. As a for-profit it also means
that tax dollars are going back into the local
community.
Over the next 10 years (1999-2008) a
Women’s Health Center, a 10 bed ICU, a
new surgical center with two new OR’s (now
with 6 operating rooms and a cysto suite)
a Medical Pavilion adding on-site medical
offices and a new 4 bed Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit (NICU) were added. In 2010
FRMC joined the University of Kentucky
Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network
followed by a venture with Kosair Children’s
This past year the Invasive Cardiology
Lab provided emergency and elective
angioplasty to over 100 patients. This is
often a lifesaving procedure in the face of
an acute evolving myocardial infarction.
Hospital Outpatient Center. In 2013 a new
ER opened with expansion from eighteen to
twenty-eight beds with a new 64 slice rapid
CT scanner immediately adjacent.
The year 2013 also included the designation of FRMC as a Level III Trauma
Center. Led by Dr, Steve Vallance, Trauma
Surgeon, a group of general surgeons, ER
physicians, orthopedists and internists
organized to meet the requirements of the
American College of Surgeons for certification. This means that FRMC can cover
the basic stabilization of care as well as
further required care in about 50% to 60%
of the cases which are often blunt trauma
i.e. industrial and auto accidents etc. More
complex cases often including head or spinal
trauma are transferred to Level I centers
at either U of K or U of Louisville. Other
Level III centers include Ephraim McDowell
Hospital in Danville and Taylor Hospital in
Campbellsville.
This past year the Invasive Cardiology Lab
provided emergency and elective angioplasty to over 100 patients. This is often a
lifesaving procedure in the face of an acute
evolving myocardial infarction. The availability of Dr. Mart Denny, an interventional
cardiologist and new resident to the community has permitted faster access.
Chip Peal, CEO of FRMC, revealed that
the next major project to be completed by
mid 2015 will be a new twelve bed geriatric
psychiatry unit in the hospital supervised by
a staff psychiatrist. Currently residential psychiatric care is provided outside of Frankfort
at Eastern Psychiatric Hospital or The Ridge
in Lexington.
Recent awards to the center have included
Magnet designation which is a national
program in nursing excellence, recognition as a Top Hospital and an “A” rating on