KENTUCKY REGIONAL EXTENSION CENTER

Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Advancing Kentucky Together – Trudi Matthews

Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Advancing Kentucky Together – Trudi Matthews

Jul 10, 2025

Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Online

Oct. 23 2025, Lexington Kentucky, The Campbell House

REGISTER HERE
Trudi Matthews

ADVANCING KENTUCKY TOGETHER & LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Speaker: Trudi Matthews,  UK HEalthcare 

For more than two decades, the University of Kentucky and its hospital, UK HealthCare, has established and worked with affiliates — hospitals, clinics and providers — across the state to open greater access to specialty care, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.

During the October 2024 UK Board of Trustees retreat, the Board directed President Capilouto to build on our momentum and take the next critical steps in our mission to advance the wellbeing of our Commonwealth. We are focusing the institution’s capacity and strategic efforts on becoming the university that — along with partners — does more than anyone in the country to improve the health of the state it serves.

The Advancing Kentucky Together Network takes that affiliate model a step further. The Advancing Kentucky Together Network is the next evolution of our partnership model and expands our efforts to address dramatically growing health, education and workforce needs across the state.

About Trudi Matthews

Trudi Matthews serves as Chief of Value Based Programs, Public Policy and Community Initiatives in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at UK HealthCare, the health system of the University of Kentucky (UK). In this role, Trudi works with UK HealthCare’s executive team and ambulatory leadership to ensure success in value-based programs for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers. Trudi also serves as government affairs and policy lead for UK HealthCare overseeing a team responsible for reviewing and analyzing state and federal government policy initiatives.

Trudi is also Executive Director of the Kentucky Regional Extension Center (REC) at UK. Trudi oversees this state-wide center charged with assisting health care leaders, practices, and hospitals across Kentucky with using technology, connectivity, process improvement and value-based care models to improve the quality and value of health care. From 2015-2019, she was Managing Director of the Kentucky REC, leading and supporting multiple externally sponsored projects such as Kentucky’s Practice Transformation Network Grant, Medicaid Meaningful Use/Promoting Interoperability Support, and several CDC-funded projects with the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.

Register Today!

Visit Our Conference Page

Registration Open! Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23

Apr 11, 2025

The Campbell House, Lexington, Kentucky – Join Us in Person or Online

Join us for an engaging day where we share essential topics shaping healthcare today and into the future. Our agenda includes in depth discussions of Quality Initiatives, HIPAA, Hospital Promoting Interoperability, and more.

Whether you’re a clinician, administrator, or a member of healthcare staff, this event is tailored to equip you with the insights and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare.

Guest speakers will join us to present on relevant topics. Details and Agenda coming soon!

Register Today

Questions? Contact the Kentucky REC Annual Conference Team at Kentucky REC. 859-323-3090.

Kentucky REC Premier Partner Award – KHIE

Nov 7, 2024

Kentucky REC is proud to work with so many organizations committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our fellow Kentuckians. Presentations were made at our Annual Conference on Oct 24th in Lexington.

Premier Partner Award – KHIE

The Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE), under the leadership of Andrew Bledsoe, Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Inspector General and KHIE, has been a driving force in transforming healthcare connectivity across the state.

For over fourteen years, the partnership between KHIE and the Kentucky Regional Extension Center (KYREC) has been essential in fostering a truly connected healthcare environment in Kentucky.

Through their tireless efforts, KHIE has helped healthcare providers adopt EHRs, promote interoperability, and build a foundation for better patient care and more effective public health reporting.

This award recognizes KHIE’s longstanding commitment to advancing health initiatives and improving community well-being.
Thanks to Andrew’s leadership, KHIE has led the charge, ensuring seamless data sharing, improving care coordination, and driving innovations in health information technology. KHIE’s unwavering dedication to collaboration has not only elevated patient outcomes but also set the benchmark for interoperability and technological excellence in healthcare.

KHIE’s work over the years has redefined what’s possible when health organizations unite their strengths. By bridging technological gaps and creating innovative solutions, KHIE has become a model for success in interoperability, making a lasting impact on public health in Kentucky.

The Premier Partner Award is a testament to the visionary leadership and continued commitment to enhancing healthcare for all Kentuckians. Congratulations, KHIE! 

 

Kentucky REC Client Excellence Awards – Norton Healthcare

Nov 6, 2024

Kentucky REC is proud to work with so many organizations committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our fellow Kentuckians. Presentations were made at our Annual Conference on Oct 24th in Lexington.

Hospital Promoting Interoperability Award – Norton Healthcare

Norton Healthcare is a leader in serving adult and pediatric patients throughout Greater Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and beyond. The not-for-profit hospital and health care system has five Louisville-based hospitals, three hospitals in Southern Indiana and one under construction in West Louisville, scheduled to open next month.

Our primary contact at Norton for the Medicare PI Program is Kathleen Lyons. She is the Manager of Hospital Promoting Interoperability at Norton Healthcare in Louisville, and has been with Norton for almost 20 years. She received her Associate’s in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Education from Eastern Kentucky University. Kathleen has over 30 years of experience in healthcare, ranging from bedside nursing, practice administration and research to healthcare informatics. 

We began our partnership on the Medicare PI Program in 2014. We have monthly calls, provide education, and really drill-down on program details. Kathleen is usually the first client hospital to contact us when new legislation drops. She has an incredible work ethic and Norton Healthcare is lucky to have her. We help monitor their PI reports to track trends in their data. Kathleen shares weekly reports with us. Year after year, Norton exceeds requirements and successfully attests to the Medicare PI Program. 

Over the past 10 years, we have not only developed a great working relationship, but a friendship as well. We are so proud of Norton’s consistent PI performance.

Congratulations to Norton Healthcare on your award, it is very well deserved. We hope to work together for another 10 years!

 

Kentucky REC Client Excellence Awards – Kentucky Health Center Network

Nov 4, 2024

Kentucky REC is proud to work with so many organizations committed to improving the health of our fellow Kentuckians. Presentations were made at our Annual Conference on Oct 24th in Lexington.

HIPAA Excellence Award

Kentucky Health Center Network (KHCN) supports 27 organizations comprising over 600 clinic sites, playing a pivotal role in advancing healthcare security across Kentucky. Under the leadership of CEO Jennifer NeSmith, KHCN has set the gold standard for HIPAA compliance and data security in community health centers.

The continued funding provides technical assistance and support to help safeguard electronic protected health information and keeping the supported organizations up to date and compliant with HIPAA regulations. This unwavering commitment to HIPAA security not only strengthens patient trust but also elevates the entire healthcare system in Kentucky.

Jennifer NeSmith’s leadership has been instrumental in the powerful partnership between the Kentucky Health Center Network and the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. Together, we have driven significant advancements in health IT adoption, security, and interoperability, ensuring that health centers can focus on delivering exceptional, patient-centered care.

Thanks to Jennifer’s vision and KHCN’s support, community health centers are better positioned to protect sensitive health information, while streamlining care for Kentucky’s most vulnerable populations. Her efforts have undeniably helped create a safer, more efficient healthcare system, making KHCN a worthy recipient of the HIPAA Excellence Award from Kentucky REC.

Congratulations to Kentucky Health Center Network for their HIPAA Excellence Award!

Kentucky REC Client Excellence Awards – Commonwealth Sleep and Rehab

Nov 1, 2024

Kentucky REC is proud to work with so many organizations committed to improving the health of our fellow Kentuckians. Awardees were chosen by the advisor team and presentations were made at our Annual Conference on Oct 24th in Lexington.

Commonwealth Sleep and Rehab is a small practice in Lexington that overcame many challenges and obstacles this past year. Their practice and EHR were greatly impacted by a cybersecurity event that caused challenges for practices across the nation. Through their dedication to their MIPS processes and quality workflows, they were able to keep momentum not just for the program, but for the wellbeing of their patients.

Their practice administrator was able to work closely with clinical staff and their coding and billing team to ensure that quality workflows were still being completed for patients and that documentation for MIPS reporting was maintained, no matter how many changes they needed to make. Their quick action and teamwork allowed them to maneuver effectively through these changes, reducing the impact to their patients and performance.

Congratulations to Commonwealth Sleep and Rehab for their Quality & Value Excellence Award!

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