Pikeville Medical Center joins Gill Affiliate Network
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 22, 2026) — UK HealthCare welcomes Pikeville Medical Center to the University of Kentucky Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Affiliate Network.
By joining the Gill Affiliate Network, Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) will gain access to the latest in cardiovascular expertise. This collaboration will provide PMC providers and staff with comprehensive cardiac education and training, strengthening their ability to improve the cardiovascular health of patients in Pike County and the surrounding area.
One way this affiliation is making a tangible impact is through the launch of an adult congenital heart disease clinic in Pikeville. UK cardiologist Ashley Brunmeier, M.D., a specialist in adult congenital heart disease, now provides care through this outreach clinic, bringing advanced expertise closer to home. This initiative allows patients to receive specialized treatment at Pikeville Medical Center rather than traveling to Lexington, improving convenience and access to subspecialty cardiovascular care for patients across the region.
“Joining the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Affiliate Network is an important step forward for Pikeville Medical Center and the patients we serve,” said Aaron Crum, M.D., chief medical officer at PMC. “This collaboration strengthens our ability to deliver advanced cardiovascular care locally by expanding access to specialized expertise, education and collaboration.”
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Kentucky, with the state ranking among the highest in the nation. In response, the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, a leader in cardiovascular care, is working to combat these health challenges through its Gill Affiliate Network. This initiative aims to reduce the prevalence of heart disease by fostering collaborative relationships with health care facilities across the state.
“This affiliation reflects our ongoing commitment to improving heart health for our community,” said Chase Reynolds, M.D., medical director of the Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky at Pikeville Medical Center. “Through the Gill Affiliate Network, our providers gain access to leading cardiovascular resources and training that enhance the care we provide every day. Expanding services like the adult congenital heart disease clinic provides patients in eastern Kentucky with specialized cardiac care without the burden of traveling long distances.”
As part of these measures, UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute works with a large network of 28 regional and community hospitals across the state to enhance access to high-quality cardiovascular care to ensure Kentuckians receive care where and when they need it.
Through the Gill Affiliate Network, PMC will join a community of hospitals across Kentucky working together to enhance patient care, share best practices and strengthen cardiac programs through education and collaboration.
“We are thrilled to welcome Pikeville Medical Center to the Gill Affiliate Network,” said Navin Rajagopalan, M.D., director of the Gill Affiliate Network. “Pikeville has a long-standing reputation for delivering exceptional cardiac care to its community, and this collaboration strengthens our shared commitment to advancing cardiovascular health across Kentucky. By working together, we can combine expertise, resources and innovation to ensure patients receive the highest quality care close to home.”
The Gill Affiliate Network will give PMC providers and staff access to specialized cardiovascular education and training, assistance in achieving and maintaining cardiac accreditations and support for the growth and development of their cardiac program. This collaboration ensures comprehensive heart care — from medical cardiology to vascular and cardiothoracic surgery — is accessible to Pike County residents and beyond, enabling patients to receive high-quality care close to home for as long as possible.
Pikeville Medical Center is a 348-licensed-bed regional referral center and Kentucky’s only level II trauma center. PMC offers more than 400 services, including most major specialties and many subspecialties and features the region’s most advanced medical technology. PMC employs more than 3,700 people and has more than 600 credentialed healthcare providers.
PMC’s mission is to advance the health and well-being of our region through comprehensive care in a Christian environment. For more information, visit www.pmcky.org.
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 and the region’s only Level 1 trauma center.
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.