Clinical Component

Navigating the Clinical Component

The interventional cardiology program at UK King's Daughters operates at high volume across eight dedicated cath labs on the second floor of the main campus. The incoming physician joins a well-established team managing the full spectrum of coronary and structural interventions, supported by a 28-member hospitalist program, a nocturnist team, and a robust APP workforce across both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Cath Lab Operations

Metric Detail
Cath Labs 8 (2nd Floor)
Imaging Equipment 4 labs equipped with Philips Imaging
IR Suites 4 suites (including one bi-plane), plus CT for biopsies
Door-to-Balloon Time Target 60 minutes; always under the required 90-minute standard
Turnaround Time 10-30 minutes depending on procedure type
Mini-PACU Available for sedated patients
EMR Epic (transitioning to UK version)

Procedure Volume (FY 2025)

Procedure Annual Volume
Diagnostic Catheterizations 3,081
Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) 1,042
STEMIs 145 (125 managed by interventional cardiology)

Procedure Scope

The position covers the full range of coronary and structural interventional procedures:

  • Coronary angiography and diagnostic catheterization
  • Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
  • Balloon angioplasty and stent placement
  • Atherectomy
  • Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
  • PFO and ASD closure
  • Structural heart procedures (currently covered by locum; permanent structural heart hire actively recruiting)

Schedule and Call

The program uses a structured block-time model that expands as the practice grows.

Detail Information
Cath Lab Block Time 2 half-days initially, expandable to 3
Rooms per Physician Typically 4 labs per interventionalist
Call Structure One weekday per week plus weekend rotation
Maximum Call Days 10 per month per contract
Non-STEMI Night Coverage Managed by APP (cardiac nursing background); calls MD if needed

The program currently has two open full-time positions alongside this one, and providers are regularly reaching the 10-day monthly call maximum as a result. Call is expected to reduce meaningfully as those positions are filled. Candidates evaluating this role should understand the current call burden is temporary and tied directly to active recruiting, not the long-term program design.

APP Support

APP coverage is built into both the inpatient and outpatient workflows, reducing burden on attending physicians outside of direct procedural care. APPs assist with clinic and hospital rounding, and one APP manages non-STEMI after-hours calls independently with physician escalation as needed.

Program Distinctions

  • Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI, continuously since 2004
  • ACC HeartCARE Center: National Distinction of Excellence (one of only four hospitals in Kentucky to hold this designation, and the only one in eastern Kentucky, Ohio, or West Virginia)
  • Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) for both cardiac catheterization and PCI programs
  • First hospital in the region to achieve ACE dual accreditation

Academic Environment

  • Pulmonary/Critical Care fellows rotate through the ICU
  • Medical students rotate from Pikeville and Lewisburg osteopathic schools
  • Access to Grand Rounds at the University of Kentucky
  • Physician leadership positions available within health system governance

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