Lexington Mayor Speaks to Lexington Medical Society
Opioid addiction presents a public health crisis for the city
LEXINGTON On May 14, 2019 Linda Gorton, mayor of Lexington, spoke to an overflowing crowd at the spring meeting of the Lexington Medical Society (LMS) at the Boone Center on UK’s campus. Mayor Gorton, an RN, has made public health and combatting opioid addiction a major focus of her administration. Gorton told the audience that being mayor is a good fit for her with her nursing training and skills because “the city is like a patient. We have to the triage the city, address its problems, and find solutions. Opioid addiction is a health problem and a city problem,” said Gorton.
Fayette County has the 2nd highest rate of opioid addition in Kentucky, said Gorton, with nearly 350 mortalities from overdose in 2017–2018. Her administration has hired former councilmember Andrea James to specifically task the opioid addiction initiative. Lexington police, firemen, and emergency medical service staff are all now equipped with Naloxone, the FDA-approved overdose treatment medication. The Fayette County Health Department distributes free Naloxone kits and manages a needle exchange program which had over 800,000 needles returned in the last three and a half years.
Gorton said she has met with area hospital administrators seeking their input to promote the health of the entire Central Kentucky community. “I am the CEO of an organization with 3,000 employees, serving 325,000 people with a $379 million budget. We need the help of the medical community. We have no time to waste,” said Gorton.
Contact Gorton at mayor@lexingtonky.gov and the Lexington Medical Society at www.lexingtondoctors.org.
Saint Joseph Hospital Holds “Gurney Derby” to Celebrate Health Care Week
LEXINGTON Racing fun was on tap at CHI Saint Joseph Health’s “Gurney Derby,” on Thursday, May 16, 2019. This is the third year for the event at Saint Joseph Hospital during National Healthcare Week, a time to celebrate hospitals, health systems, and healthcare employees for their contributions to local communities.
The event was sponsored by the SPIRIT Team, which is the hospital’s council dedicated to supporting the mission of the organization and creating opportunities to bring the mission and values alive through programs, services, and activities. During the Gurney Derby, employees raced gurneys through an obstacle course in the Saint Joseph Hospital parking lot. Team Cath Lab had the fastest time and was named the 2019 Gurney Derby champion.
