LEXINGTON, Ky. – During the 2023 Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum this week, the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky recognized a group of 14 “Healthy Champions” from across the state, who were recognized for improving the health and well-being of their communities.
But the night’s biggest award would go to Pikeville Medical Center Chairman, President and CEO Donovan Blackburn, who was chosen to receive the 2023 Gil Friedell Award for his work to change the healthcare landscape in Eastern Kentucky.
During his time as a health care leader, Blackburn has facilitated the vast expansion of health care services that residents previously had to travel hours to obtain in larger cities. Through his hard work and dedication, thousands of Kentuckians can access critical resources needed to sustain a healthy life.
“Donovan Blackburn is a visionary for Eastern Kentucky and has helped bring the type of high-quality care to the region that its residents have long deserved,” said Ben Chandler, President and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. “A chance for a healthy life shouldn’t be determined by the area of Kentucky where you live, and Donovan’s work is making the Commonwealth a more equitable place to access healthcare.”
Blackburn’s ability to foster consensus through collaboration has helped secure millions of investment dollars in health care delivery. In 2020, PMC opened its Appalachian Valley AutismCenter. In 2021, the Mettu Children’s Hospital opened, allowing clinicians to partner with specialists at the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital in cardiology, endocrinology, and pulmonology. In 2022, a satellite center of the AVA Center opened in Floyd County, expanding the Center’s ability to provide specialized autism services. Most recently, the Lawson Cancer Center at PMC opened a new infusion center, offering 24 additional treatment rooms.
Through Blackburn’s vision, PMC expanded its heart and vascular services, opening the Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky, the result of a $35.2 million capital investment. The space includes a new cardiac rehabilitation department, 29 exam rooms and three state-of-the-art interventional cardiac catheterization labs. This advanced technology enables physicians to perform cutting-edge procedures that were once only available in larger cities.
This health care transformation in Eastern Kentucky has lowered costs, reduced travel and increased the quality of care for an area of the state that has been underserved for generations.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the 2023 Gil Friedell Award from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky,” said Blackburn. “I view this not as a recognition of my efforts but as a testament to the collective dedication of more than 3,000 employees at Pikeville Medical Center, who work tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of our beloved community. PMC’s corporate commitment to creating a healthier Eastern Kentucky is also one I carry personally as I lead our organization. With every milestone we reach and every accomplishment we celebrate, we are building a healthier, more vibrant community for generations to come.”
As part of the Friedell Award, the Foundation donates $5,000 to a Kentucky nonprofit organization, in honor of the winner, that is positively impacting health and/or health policy in Kentucky. Blackburn selected the AVA Center, which provides Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to children on the autism spectrum between the ages of 2 and 12. The AVA Center provides this life-changing therapy to over 100 learners and is projected to double that number by the end of 2024.
Dr. Gil Friedell was the first director of the Markey Cancer Center at the University of Kentucky and cofounder of the Kentucky Cancer Registry. He helped launch a nonprofit advocacy education organization in 2005 that later became the Friedell Committee for Health System Transformation. The Foundation created the Friedell Award when it united with the Friedell Committee in 2018.
The Friedell Award winner is selected from each year’s Healthy Kentucky Champions, a program that recognizes Kentucky individuals making a difference in the health of their communities or state.
