UK King’s Daughters joins KCH Affiliate Network
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 4, 2025) — On June 2, Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) celebrated as UK King’s Daughters joined the KCH Affiliate Network. UK King’s Daughters is the third health care organization to join the network, which was launched earlier this year. This affiliation marks another step toward strengthening pediatric care across Kentucky.
“We’re excited to welcome UK King’s Daughters into the network,” said Scottie B. Day, M.D., physician-in-chief for KCH. “Together, we are creating a system of care that brings pediatric expertise to families where they live. That means fewer long drives and more time focused on healing — all while supporting the local physicians and providers that Ashland area families already know and trust.”
The KCH Affiliate Network connects local hospitals with pediatric experts to provide training, education and support — enhancing the ability to deliver high-quality care close to home. As one of the first pediatric-focused hospital networks in the nation, the goal is simple: support pediatric providers in local communities by strengthening their connection to specialists at KCH. Together, they can ensure that kids across the state can access exceptional care – without requiring families to travel far from home.
“We are delighted to join the Kentucky Children’s Hospital Affiliate Network,” said Sara Marks, UK King’s Daughters president and chief executive officer. “This affiliation provides our team with academic-level resources and gives families access to the very best pediatric care — ensuring a collaborative, expert-driven approach for diagnosis and treatment right here at home.”
Member hospitals benefit from:
- Pediatric and neonatology-specific educational lecture series
- Hands-on training sessions held at KCH and on-site at member hospitals
- Clinical shadowing opportunities with KCH care teams
- Access to pediatric-focused protocols, policies and best practices
- Continuing education credit opportunities for staff
- Invitation to a pediatric-specific annual conference in Lexington
- Patient transfer reviews for quality improvement
“We are excited to welcome UK King’s Daughters to the growing list of hospitals that are making an investment in the health and well-being of the kids in their community,” said Christina Briggs, director of the KCH Affiliate Network. “Through this collaboration, we are getting one step closer to ensuring all of Kentucky’s kids have access to high quality pediatric care. Investing in our kids today builds a healthier Kentucky tomorrow; by bringing the state together, we can improve pediatric health and provide kids with best opportunities for success into adulthood.”
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.