KENTUCKY REGIONAL EXTENSION CENTER

Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 29 – Keynote Speaker Cameron Mills

Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 29 – Keynote Speaker Cameron Mills

Kentucky REC 2026 Annual Conference logo with intertwining ribbons and text: Kentucky REC Presents - Connecting our Healthcare Community: Improving Quality, Enhancing Security and Promoting Interoperability - October 29 Lexington KY and Online
Kentucky REC 2026 Annual Conference logo with intertwining ribbons and text: Kentucky REC Presents - Connecting our Healthcare Community: Improving Quality, Enhancing Security and Promoting Interoperability - October 29 Lexington KY and Online

Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Online

Oct. 29 2026, Lexington Kentucky, The Campbell House

This year’s conference will feature timely sessions on quality initiatives, HIPAA and security updates, hospital promoting interoperability, AI in healthcare, and emerging topics shaping healthcare.

 

Keynote Speaker: CAMERON MILLS, LHC Group, CAMERON MILLS MINISTRIES

TEAMWORK – You can’t do it alone

Kentucky native Cameron Mills lived out a childhood dream by following in his father’s footsteps to play basketball at the University of Kentucky during one of the programs most successful eras. From 1994-1998, he helped lead the Wildcats to three NCAA Final Fours and three NCAA National Championship appearances. The team won two Championships, defeating Syracuse in 1996 and Utah in 1998.

Following his time at UK, Cameron founded Cameron Mills Ministries. He is a sought after speaker at conferences and events, sharing insights on the power of influence. His message focuses on everyday opportunities we have to impact others through actions, not just words.

At the same time, Cameron has also built a career in the health care industry. He has been with LHC Group since 2004, a national leader in home health and hospice services, which serves patients in 38 states. In 2019, he became Vice President and Chief Culture Officer. In this role, he encourages and supports frontline caregivers, individuals he considers heroes long before the Covid-19 pandemic brought them into the spotlight.

Cameron lives in Lexington, KY with his wife, Susan, and their son Alex. Susan is a children’s book author and illustrator. She is known for her series about a world of dinosaurs with special needs.

 

Keynote Speaker: CAMERON MILLS, LHC Group, CAMERON MILLS MINISTRIES

TEAMWORK – You can’t do it alone

Kentucky native Cameron Mills lived out a childhood dream by following in his father’s footsteps to play basketball at the University of Kentucky during one of the programs most successful eras. From 1994-1998, he helped lead the Wildcats to three NCAA Final Fours and three NCAA National Championship appearances. The team won two Championships, defeating Syracuse in 1996 and Utah in 1998.

Following his time at UK, Cameron founded Cameron Mills Ministries. He is a sought after speaker at conferences and events, sharing insights on the power of influence. His message focuses on everyday opportunities we have to impact others through actions, not just words.

At the same time, Cameron has also built a career in the health care industry. He has been with LHC Group since 2004, a national leader in home health and hospice services, which serves patients in 38 states. In 2019, he became Vice President and Chief Culture Officer. In this role, he encourages and supports frontline caregivers, individuals he considers heroes long before the Covid-19 pandemic brought them into the spotlight.

Cameron lives in Lexington, KY with his wife, Susan, and their son Alex. Susan is a children’s book author and illustrator. She is known for her series about a world of dinosaurs with special needs.

Save the Date! Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 29!

Kentucky REC 2026 Annual Conference logo with intertwining ribbons and text: Kentucky REC Presents - Connecting our Healthcare Community: Improving Quality, Enhancing Security and Promoting Interoperability - October 29 Lexington KY and Online

Details and Registration Coming Soon!

During our day together we’ll discuss Quality Initiatives, HIPAA, Artificial Intelligence, and more to ensure that clinicians, hospital and ambulatory administrators, and clinic staff are well prepared for the challenges of modern healthcare.

Lexington, Kentucky – Join Us in Person or Online

Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program CY 2025 Reporting & Attestation Deadline

The Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) System is now open

It is accepting calendar year 2025 Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program data submissions and attestations from eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals.

Kentucky hospitals participating in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program should be aware of important updates for Calendar Year (CY) 2025 reporting, including system availability, program changes, and the upcoming attestation deadline.

Expert advisors at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center are available to support hospitals throughout the reporting and attestation process. If you have questions, need clarification, or would like hands-on assistance, our team is ready to help.

HQR System Open for CY 2025 Submissions

The Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) System is now open and accepting CY 2025 Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program data submissions and attestations for eligible hospitals and CAHs.

Important Deadline Reminder

The CY 2025 data submission and attestation deadline (including eCQM data) is:
Monday, March 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time
To avoid last-minute issues, hospitals are strongly encouraged to begin preparations early.

Kentucky REC Assistance Available

The Kentucky Regional Extension Center provides personalized technical assistance to help hospitals successfully meet Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program requirements. Our team can assist with:
• Understanding CY 2025 reporting updates
• Preparing and reviewing data submissions and attestations
• Verifying CMS EHR Certification IDs
• Reviewing measure requirements and exclusions
• Troubleshooting HQR submission issues

If your hospital has questions or needs assistance at any point in the process, we encourage you to contact the Kentucky REC. Early outreach can help prevent delays, ensure successful attestation, and avoid costly penalties.

Kentucky REC is here to support Kentucky hospitals every step of the way.

Call YOUR experts at Kentucky REC with all your questions. We’re here to help: 859-323-3090.

 

 

Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23 2025: Dr Tama Thé – The Promise of AI for Kentucky Healthcare

Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Online

Oct. 23 2025, Lexington Kentucky, The Campbell House

Trudi Matthews

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

Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Online

Oct. 23 2025, Lexington Kentucky, The Campbell House

Trudi Matthews

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.