Pediatric heart care services will resume at the University of Kentucky as part of a new partnership between UK HealthCare and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
UK officials said Thursday the collaboration will allow more Kentucky children to receive care closer to home. UK HealthCare and Cincinnati Children's signed a letter of intent to move forward with the partnership.
Officials said the first surgical procedure at UK is targeted for late 2016 or early 2017.
UK's pediatric cardiac surgery program was suspended in 2012 following an uptick in child mortality rates.
Under the partnership, a heart surgeon will be jointly recruited and have a primary appointment at Cincinnati Children's in a "two sites, one program" model. The surgeon will be based in Lexington and perform services at Kentucky Children's Hospital.
