Frazier ranked No. 40 in Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation in U.S. News’ latest edition of the annual Best Hospitals report. This year, U.S. News announced across 49 states and 95 metro areas that have demonstrated superior outcomes.

“We could not be more honored to receive this recognition,” said Dan Hudson, CEO, UofL Health – Frazier Rehabilitation Institute. “Being named a U.S. News Top Rehab Hospital and the No. 1 rehab hospital in Kentucky reflects the exceptional patient care our team provides. They truly care about what they do and about the patients they serve – you don’t find that everywhere.”

U.S. News evaluated more than 4,400 hospitals across 15 adult specialties and 22 procedures and conditions; only 13% of evaluated hospitals earned a Best Hospitals designation.

“Helping patients regain their lives with hope and dignity is the focus for our providers and employees, and we get some pretty amazing results,” said Darryl Kaelin, MD, medical director at Frazier Rehab Institute. “Being a part of UofL Health, Frazier Rehab is part of a larger academic environment encouraging a greater focus on more aggressive research and cutting edge-treatment.

To determine the , U.S. News analyzed each hospital’s performance based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals and measure patient outcomes using data from over 800 million records of patient care.

“For more than three decades, U.S. News has been an invaluable guide for patients,” said Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis Ben Harder at U.S. News. “With a ‘Best Hospital’ recognition, Americans, in consultation with their medical providers, can confidently choose a regional hospital known for providing superior care for their specific illness or condition.”

Recently, UofL’s School of Medicine, the academic partner of UofL Health, also ranked among the best in the nation through the U.S. News & World Report 2025 edition of Best Graduate Schools.

For more information about patient services, visit .

The transition of ownership from KentuckyOne’s parent company, CommonSpirit Health, to the university’s UofL Health affiliate is effective Nov. 1. Some 5,500 former KentuckyOne employees have now joined UofL and UofL Health, which has assumed management of the assets.

“This is an exciting and historic day for the University of Louisville,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “This acquisition enables us to ensure access to quality health care for our entire community, and it strengthens our School of Medicine and our Health Sciences Center campus by allowing us to offer more training opportunities for our students and more research capacity for our faculty. It also saves thousands of jobs that could have been lost if any of these facilities closed.”

UofL is acquiring the KentuckyOne assets with the promise of a critical $50 million, 20-year loan from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority. Half of that loan would be forgiven if the university meets certain criteria in terms of employment or service to underserved areas. The Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and the Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s Foundation also are investing in the deal, contributing $10 million and $40 million, respectively.

“We owe such a debt of gratitude to our partners—Governor Matt Bevin, the leadership of the House and Senate and these foundations—for making this transaction a reality,” Bendapudi said.

She also thanked the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and leaders of the local Jewish community for the legacy of care they have created over more than a century of work in the Louisville community.

The purchase includes:

• Jewish Hospital, including the Outpatient Center, Rudd Heart and Lung Center, offices and parking garages;
• Frazier Rehabilitation Institute;
• Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital;
• Our Lady of Peace;
• Jewish Hospital Shelbyville;
• Jewish Medical Centers East, Northeast, South and Southwest;
• Physicians groups affiliated with KentuckyOne.

All of the assets will be rebranded under the UofL Health umbrella.

“Today marks an important moment for the future of health care in the Louisville community, and I want to thank everyone who contributed to the successful completion of this transition,” said Larry Schumacher, senior vice president of Operations, Southeast Division, CommonSpirit Health. “As we transfer the ownership and operations to UofL Health, I am optimistic that these facilities will continue their legacy of excellence and innovation led by the outstanding employees and providers.”

This decision was agreed upon by all parties as the most effective way to collaborate in care for the community, moving direct operations of the academic medical center to UMC and ensuring continuation of innovative and high-quality patient care and clinical training via KentuckyOne Health facilities.

“The dynamic nature of the health care landscape requires organizations to explore innovative approaches and relationships for the delivery of care,” said Gregory C. Postel, MD, interim executive vice president of health affairs at UofL. “Today, we are presented with a very different environment than when we signed the joint operating agreement and revised the academic affiliation agreement in 2012. We are pleased with our shared accomplishments yet understand that changes were necessary to address ongoing challenges and ensure we are able to respond nimbly to the unique needs of our care facilities, particularly the academic medical center.”

“We are pleased to move into the next phase of our relationship with University of Louisville. Our longstanding partnership at Jewish Hospital dates back several decades prior to KentuckyOne Health. Since the formation of KentuckyOne Health, we have partnered in many areas and will continue to do so for many years to come, including working together on our innovations to meet the health needs of our community,” said Ruth W. Brinkley, president and CEO of KentuckyOne Health. “During the past four years of our partnership, we have implemented significant improvements to enhance the health of our patients and the communities we serve. This includes the installation of an electronic health record system, and many other updates and enhancements to the University of Louisville Hospital.”

“It is important to emphasize that the transition of care will be seamless for our patients, physicians, employees and community partners,” said Joan Coleman, interim CEO of University Medical Center. “We are committed to continuing the facility improvements and staffing initiatives that began during our partnership and look forward to seeing them through to completion. We will be active with focused transition teams working closely with current leaders, physicians and employees across the Downtown Louisville campus to ensure continued high-quality care, support our employees and shape the future of health and wellness.”

The agreement, effective Dec. 14, 2016, establishes the framework for future partnerships between the organizations and resolves all disputes previously raised. Key aspects of the agreement include the following:

• KentuckyOne Health, UMC, and UofL, working together, will continue to implement projects involving up to $44.8 million in capital investments at ULH by July 1, 2017;
• KentuckyOne Health has agreed to complete the funding of the joint investment proposals as set forth in the Academic Affiliation Agreement;
• The University of Louisville will release its rights to three seats on the KentuckyOne Health Board of Directors; and
• The University Medical Center is expected to take over the management of the University of Louisville Hospital on July 1, 2017.

The University Medical Center, University of Louisville and KentuckyOne Health will work together over the next six months to facilitate a successful transition for both the management of ULH and JGBCC, and the Academic Affiliation Agreement between the organizations for programs at other locations. Ongoing information and details on the transition will be provided to patients, community partners, employees and physicians as the process evolves. Transition teams focused on key areas of patient care, employee engagement and infrastructure are being assembled, drawing from the shared expertise currently in place at ULH, JGBCC, KentuckyOne Health, UMC and UofL. These teams will guide the continuation of initiatives underway, including patient care quality and safety programs and recruitment and retention of top nursing talent, while also shaping the future operations and leadership structure.

Partner profiles

University Medical Center (UMC): Comprised of the University of Louisville Hospital (ULH), the James Graham Brown Cancer Center (JGBCC), and the Center for Women and Infants (CWI), UMC is an integral part of the University of Louisville’s academic health center. Its first priority and concern is the welfare of patients and therefore provides, without regard to economic status, the highest quality patient and family centered inpatient and outpatient hospital-based services; supports the educational and research missions of the University of Louisville’s Health Sciences Center; and initiates outreach to meet community needs.

The University of Louisville Health Sciences Center is the city’s only academic medical center. Approximately 1,000 faculty members are involved in education, research and clinical care. The UofL HSC is home to more than 650 medical and dental residents, 3,000 students pursuing degrees in health-related fields within the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Public Health and Information Sciences, as well as 14 interdisciplinary centers and institutes. Approximately $140 million in extramural funding enables researchers to uncover the causes of disease and better ways to prevent, treat and cure those diseases. Patients are seen at the Ambulatory Care Building, the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, the UofL Health Care Outpatient Center and University Hospital, which is the primary adult teaching hospital for the School of Medicine. University Hospital’s public mission is steeped in history and now is most clearly visible through its provision of nearly $90 million of health care to the uninsured annually.

KentuckyOne Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in the Commonwealth, has more than 200 locations, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies in Kentucky and southern Indiana. KentuckyOne Health is dedicated to bringing wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved.  The system is made up of the former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, along with the University of Louisville Hospital and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. KentuckyOne Health is proud of and strengthened by its Catholic, Jewish and academic heritages.