Category: Norton Kosair Children’s Hospital

Judge Orders Mediation of UofL-Norton Dispute over Kosair Children’s Hospital.

Breaking News 11:30 a.m.franklin-co-courthouse

At a hearing this morning in Frankfort, Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate ordered the University of Louisville and Norton Healthcare to enter mediation to settle their dispute over control of Norton Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville. It is my understanding that neither party was adverse to that happening. The Judge appeared influenced by the admissions of both sides that they have been very close to a long-term agreement several times in the past, including at a breakfast meeting yesterday at Dairy Queen! Continue reading “Judge Orders Mediation of UofL-Norton Dispute over Kosair Children’s Hospital.”

Additional Documents Related to the Dispute over Norton Kosair Children’s Hospital.

What are the real problems Gentlemen?

Since my article of January 24 about the collapse of talks between David Dunn of the University of Louisville and Stephen Williams of Norton Healthcare over the future of Kosair Children’s Hospital, a handful of additional documents have trickled out. The most significant was a letter from Mr. Williams to Dr. Dunn dated January 15 summarizing Norton’s perspective on the history and conduct of the negotiations extending back to September 2012. The text of the letter was reported in InsiderLouisville on January 24. At that time, as UofL was preparing for its partnership with Catholic Health Initiatives, the ground seems to have shifted in a dramatic way. The discussions seem never to have gotten back on track. Of course, if one party does not want a successful ongoing relationship, it is easy to blow things up. Leaving no fingerprints would then be the challenge.

In any event, we now have a more specific Norton version of events to compare with the University’s claim that “the very existence of all of UofL’s educational and training programs at the Health Sciences Center” is threatened. In the absence of the “Term Sheet” that is referred to, or any of the other of the 135+ contracts between Norton and UofL that might allow us to judge who is being unreasonable, we are left with contradictory assignments of blame. Continue reading “Additional Documents Related to the Dispute over Norton Kosair Children’s Hospital.”

Kosair Children’s Hospital Talks in Total Collapse.

As all available indicators gave us reason to believe, the talks between the University of Louisville and NortonHealthcare have utterly collapsed. It was true!  Both sides have released statements to the public describing their version of why the talks failed. As predicted, it seems obvious from the two releases that the sticking point is the University’s reluctance to give up its stranglehold on ownership of the land under Norton Kosair Children’s Hospital. The University’s interpretation of the old land-lease agreements gives them the right to take possession of the hospital building itself if Norton defaults on any of a few rather generally defined agreements. What constitutes “default” is therefore somewhat in the eye of the beholder. Norton asserts that it is fully in compliance with the most current affiliation agreement between it and the University. I am aware of nothing that contradicts that. Continue reading “Kosair Children’s Hospital Talks in Total Collapse.”

Kentucky Children’s Hospital in Lexington Restarts its Pediatric Heart Surgery Program.

Implications for Louisville’s Kosair Children’s Hospital and the University of Louisville.

The pediatric cardiac surgery program at the University of Kentucky has seen a steady stream of negative national publicity over the last year.  Following the death of several babies with congenital heart defects, the University suspended its pediatric cardiac surgery program in 2012.  The institution announced a desire to improve its outcomes and established an internal review process.  Its pediatric cardiac surgeon left for elsewhere. Few details were available.

CNN reported last Friday that Kentucky Children’s Hospital had resumed its pediatric heart surgery program as of the New Year.  Much of the news report centered on parents’ dissatisfaction that the internal report released last September “doesn’t explain why the babies died,” and with the hospital’s apparent reluctance to provide more specific mortality rates.  In an article  charged with emotional comments, Executive Vice President For Health Affairs at UK, Dr. Michael Karpf, was not cast in a particularly favorable light.  In responding to concerns that there seemed to be no medical governing body needed to sign off on the decision to reopen the unit, Dr. Karpf is heard saying, “The only person I need permission from is me.”  I believe this arrogant-sounding statement was unfairly taken out of context.

The Report Was Not Glowing.
Actually, the 102 page report released last September provides a considerable amount of information about the hospital’s pediatric cardiology services. The report addresses recommendations regarding the future, and was not intended to be a review of past clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, in my opinion, it supports concerns that the hospital may not have been fully prepared to offer the most complicated cardiac procedures to children.  In fact, given that the report was prepared with “extensive input and guidance from legal counsel,” the document is refreshingly and commendably frank. Continue reading “Kentucky Children’s Hospital in Lexington Restarts its Pediatric Heart Surgery Program.”