UK HealthCare

Kentucky Children's Hospital, AdventHealth Manchester collaborate to expand pediatric care

Image of a group of people at a ribbon cutting ceremony at AdventHealth in Manchester, KY
AdventHealth Manchester is the fourth hospital to join the Kentucky Children's Hospital Affiliate Network. Photo by Les Nicholson.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 13, 2025) — Families in Eastern Kentucky now have greater access to pediatric expertise thanks to a new collaboration between AdventHealth Manchester and Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH). AdventHealth is the latest hospital to join the KCH Affiliate Network, a growing initiative designed to enhance pediatric care across the Commonwealth.

This collaboration strengthens the connection between local providers and pediatric specialists at KCH, offering families access to advanced care while keeping them close to home.

“Collaborating with AdventHealth helps us bring our mission full circle: delivering the highest level of pediatric care to children, no matter where they live,” said Dr. Scottie B. Day, M.D., physician-in-chief at KCH. “By supporting local hospitals with our expertise and resources, we can empower providers and improve outcomes for kids across Kentucky.”

The KCH Affiliate Network offers member hospitals access to pediatric-focused training, education, clinical tools and peer support. Through this affiliation, AdventHealth teams can collaborate with pediatric specialists at KCH to elevate care in their own community.

“This affiliation with Kentucky Children’s Hospital represents a meaningful step forward in our commitment to the families of Eastern Kentucky,” said Anita Cornett, M.D., chief medical officer at AdventHealth Manchester. “By connecting our local providers with world-class pediatric specialists, we’re ensuring that children in our community receive the highest quality care—right here at home.”

Benefits of KCH Affiliate Network membership include:

  • On-demand access to pediatric education and best practices
  • Specialized training sessions and clinical shadowing opportunities
  • Pediatric protocol development and consultation support
  • Annual pediatric conference participation
  • Continuing education credits for providers and staff
  • Quality review and guidance for pediatric transfers

Christina Briggs, director of the KCH Affiliate Network, says the program is about more than just improving access — it’s about building a healthier future for Kentucky’s children.

“When we invest in local providers, we invest in local families,” Briggs said. “Our goal is to make sure every child, in every part of the state, receives the care they need to thrive — not just survive. With AdventHealth joining the network, we’re one step closer to that vision.”

UK HealthCare is the hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. But it is so much more. It is more than 10,000 dedicated health care professionals committed to providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from the Commonwealth and beyond. It also is the home of the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for the tiniest and sickest newborns, the region’s only Level 1 trauma center and Kentucky’s top hospital ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

As an academic research institution, we are continuously pursuing the next generation of cures, treatments, protocols and policies. Our discoveries have the potential to change what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Our educators and thought leaders are transforming the health care landscape as our six health professions colleges teach the next generation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals, spreading the highest standards of care. UK HealthCare is the power of advanced medicine committed to creating a healthier Kentucky, now and for generations to come.