Happy Holidays from Kentucky REC
SEASONS GREETINGS
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23 2025: Dr Tama Thé – The Promise of AI for Kentucky Healthcare
Dreams of Data—The Promise of AI for Kentucky Healthcare
Speaker: Dr Tama Thé, MD, Assistant Professor – Department of Emergency Medicine, UK HealthCare
Artificial intelligence is transforming medicine around the world. How can we make sure that Kentucky doesn’t get left behind? This presentation explores how we can harness AI to build a smarter, more connected healthcare system. We’ll look at how AI can improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce documentation burdens, and help address the physician shortage. We will highlight some of the innovative projects underway at UK HealthCare and get a peek of the broader vision driving the next wave of healthcare transformation.
Dr Tama Thé, MD
Tama Thé specializes in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and is an AI Research fellow with the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is leading AI initiatives both in healthcare at UKHC and across the state, as well as on the main campus at UK, and is the founder of the AI Incubator at the UK College of Medicine.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Free Tobacco Cessation Referral Program for Providers — Limited Enrollment
A Healthier Kentucky Starts Here: Enroll in the Free Tobacco Cessation Referral Program
The Kentucky REC is partnering with the Kentucky Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program to help providers connect their patients to free, evidence-based support to help them quit using tobacco. Through this partnership, Kentucky REC will assist clinicians in setting up electronic referrals to National Jewish Health (NJH) — the nation’s leading tobacco cessation program. There will be no cost to providers, and no interface connection is required. Your EHR simply needs to allow the addition of direct mail addresses.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our team will guide participating organizations through every step, integrating the e-referral process into clinical workflows and providing monthly check-ins to:
- Confirm electronic messages are successfully received by NJH
- Strengthen workflows to improve referral rates and efficiency
- Troubleshoot when referrals aren’t being completed or returned
This is a grant-sponsored opportunity, and participation is limited to the first four enrolled organizations.
Interested? Need more information? Contact us! Spaces will fill quickly.
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: HIE-Speed Ahead – Connecting Care Smarter
HIE-Speed Ahead: Connecting Care Smarter
Speaker: Andrew Bledsoe, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Get ready to accelerate into the future of health information technology! Andrew Bledsoe of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services introduces KHIE’s new HIE system and its enhanced capabilities, designed to make data exchange faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever. We’ll explore how these upgrades improve care coordination, strengthen connections, and empower providers with the right information at the right time.
About Andrew Bledsoe, Deputy Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
The intersection of health information technology with quality care delivery has provided Andrew Bledsoe with a unique perspective over his two plus decades in healthcare. Starting his career in a regional hospital, he quickly learned the challenges in healthcare, especially rural medicine, and began investing in the concept of leveraging health information technology to improve outcomes for patients.
His current appointment as the Deputy Inspector General for the Office of the Inspector General within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services primarily focuses on implementing the KHIE Strategic and Operational Plan, promoting the statewide exchange of patient health information, spearheading a number of new services designed to improve care coordination, and offer new avenues to reduce reporting burdens and foster inter-agency collaboration.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Elevating Quality & Value
Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Online
Oct. 23 2025, Lexington Kentucky, The Campbell House
Elevating Quality and Value: Leading Teams into the Next Generation of Care
Speakers: Katie Carozza and Jessica Elliott, Kentucky REC
The shift to value-based care is accelerating, driven by evolving payment models, rising patient expectations, and the increasing demand for data-driven, personalized care. We will discuss key challenges faced by today’s healthcare leaders and how vital steps taken now can pave the way to a successful future. Some of the elements required to transform healthcare include: forward-thinking leaders; organizations built on the foundations of high-reliability healthcare principles; strategic investment in technology; standardized processes; and empowered teams leading a culture of continuous improvement. This session will equip healthcare leaders with actionable strategies for sustainable success while maintaining our commitments to healthcare’s Quintuple Aim.
About KATIE CAROZZA
Katie Carozza is a seasoned public health and quality improvement expert with 10+ years of experience. A proud alumnus of Binghamton University, her career is dedicated to enhancing health promotion strategies and advancing quality in healthcare. Katie’s extensive background includes serving as a Clinical Program Manager at UK Healthcare and, most recently, as a Quality Improvement Advisor and Value-Based Programs Manager at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. She is passionate about making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
About JESSICA ELLIOTT
Jessica Elliott is the Lead Practice Transformation & Quality Improvement Advisor at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. Jessica is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPPS) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS). She has over 19 years of healthcare experience, including expertise in quality improvement implementation science and regulatory policy analysis. Ms. Elliott partners with clinicians and healthcare organizations to design and implement strategies enhancing patient outcomes, optimizing care processes, and maximizing efficiencies in the transition to value-based care. Jessica also leads projects including HEDIS measure optimization and chronic disease grant initiatives focused on patient activation and linkages to community resources.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Elevating Quality and Value: Leading Teams into the Next Generation of Care
Speakers: Katie Carozza and Jessica Elliott, Kentucky REC
The shift to value-based care is accelerating, driven by evolving payment models, rising patient expectations, and the increasing demand for data-driven, personalized care. We will discuss key challenges faced by today’s healthcare leaders and how vital steps taken now can pave the way to a successful future. Some of the elements required to transform healthcare include: forward-thinking leaders; organizations built on the foundations of high-reliability healthcare principles; strategic investment in technology; standardized processes; and empowered teams leading a culture of continuous improvement. This session will equip healthcare leaders with actionable strategies for sustainable success while maintaining our commitments to healthcare’s Quintuple Aim.
About KATIE CAROZZA
Katie Carozza is a seasoned public health and quality improvement expert with 10+ years of experience. A proud alumnus of Binghamton University, her career is dedicated to enhancing health promotion strategies and advancing quality in healthcare. Katie’s extensive background includes serving as a Clinical Program Manager at UK Healthcare and, most recently, as a Quality Improvement Advisor and Value-Based Programs Manager at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. She is passionate about making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
About JESSICA ELLIOTT
Jessica Elliott is the Lead Practice Transformation & Quality Improvement Advisor at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. Jessica is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPPS) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS). She has over 19 years of healthcare experience, including expertise in quality improvement implementation science and regulatory policy analysis. Ms. Elliott partners with clinicians and healthcare organizations to design and implement strategies enhancing patient outcomes, optimizing care processes, and maximizing efficiencies in the transition to value-based care. Jessica also leads projects including HEDIS measure optimization and chronic disease grant initiatives focused on patient activation and linkages to community resources.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Changes to HIPAA Security Rule – The Latest Updates
Changes to HIPAA Security Rule – The Latest Updates
Speaker: Amy Daley, Kentucky REC
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Electronic Protected Health Information (NPRM) on Jan 6, 2025.
These proposed changes bring about new requirements such as vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, patch management, network segmentation, data backup testing, multi-factor authentication, security incident planning and testing, HIPAA compliance audits, business associate delegation and guidelines for ongoing maintenance.
Amy will provide an overview of the proposed changes, expected timelines for regulated entities to meet compliance, and any updates provided by HHS since publishing the proposed rule.
About Amy Daley
Amy Daley, CHPS, has been a Health IT Advisor for Kentucky Regional Extension Center since 2014 and is the HIPAA Team Lead. She specializes in HIPAA Security guidance for healthcare organizations across the state of Kentucky. Amy obtained her B.S. in Computer Information Systems from the University of Louisville. Amy has been a guest speaker at various conferences in Kentucky presenting on topics related to HIPAA Security and Promoting Interoperability. Her background includes expertise in the areas of implementation, training and management of EHR systems.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
