LEXINGTON, Ky. – In honor of Donate Life Month, the University of Kentucky Gill Heart and Vascular Institute Affiliate Network hosted a statewide, multidisciplinary webinar dedicated to advancing care for patients facing cardiogenic shock in collaboration with Norton Healthcare.
The continuing education–accredited webinar, titled “From Crisis to Coordination: A Multidisciplinary and Multi‑Institutional Approach to Cardiogenic Shock”, brought together more than 70 cardiovascular experts from across Kentucky.
Maya Ignaszewski, MD, assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine and director of heart transplantation at the UK Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, represented UK HealthCare and served as a featured speaker. Ignaszewski specializes in advanced heart failure, LVAD and transplant cardiology.
Ignaszewski was also joined by Bassel Alkhalil, MD, medical director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Recovery Program at Norton Healthcare.
“Collaborating with Norton during Donate Life Month underscores the shared mission across institutions to advance organ donation and improve access to life-saving therapies in Kentucky,” Ignaszewski said. “Cardiogenic shock and advanced heart failure often represent the final common pathway for patients who may ultimately require transplantation. This collaboration highlights how improving transplant access and outcomes begins well before listing and rather at the point of early identification, stabilization and referral.”
During the session, the physicians discussed cardiogenic shock identification, care pathways and the importance of coordinated, multidisciplinary collaboration across institutions.
“Cardiogenic shock demands rapid recognition, clear communication, and a unified team response,” Alkhalil said. “When institutions collaborate instead of working in silos, we give patients their best chance at survival.”
The webinar highlighted the shared goals of Donate Life Month, emphasizing collaboration and advanced care for patients with severe heart disease, including those who may ultimately require heart transplantation.
“This effort reflects a broader shift toward regional systems of care for cardiogenic shock,” Ignaszewski said. “By fostering open communication, shared protocols and collaborative education between institutions, we can build a more cohesive network that improves patient outcomes across the state. Initiatives like this also create opportunities for ongoing quality improvement, data sharing and innovation, all of which are essential to advancing the field and better serving our patients.”