Dr. Lindsay Ragsdale: How Pediatric Vaccine Clinic Showcases UK HealthCare's Compassionate Care

Lindsay Ragsdale, MD, FAAP, FAAHPM, is an associate professor of pediatrics at the UK College of Medicine. For UK HealthCare, she is division chief of pediatric palliative care, program officer for provider experience, and was recently named interim chief medical officer at Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH).

In this Q&A, she shares her experience working with her team to build a successful pediatric vaccine clinic at UK, why she feels so connected to Kentucky, and what she cherishes about being a physician and educator.

Q: Can you describe your experience helping lead the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinic at UK?

A: The teamwork involved in creating the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinic has been amazing!  The collaborative work across colleges and disciplines has truly made this clinic a success. From the beginning, we wanted to keep the central goal around the child and engage them from the minute they come in the front doors. The COVID-19 illnesses we’ve seen in children this fall have been significant, but the social and emotional impact over the past two years has been just as significant.  The pandemic has upended social interactions, school, sports, places of worship – all of the places where children are connected to the world around them. So in building the clinic, we wanted to give them some control over things and engage them in the process of getting a vaccine.

They are introduced from the beginning about the things that are going to happen. The child gets a treasure map which guides them through the clinic site and invites the child to be part of the process. This approach has changed the level of anxiety around getting a shot tremendously. From the very beginning, we partnered with our child life specialists to help engage children in the process. The child life specialists are onsite at the vaccine clinic to train the vaccinators on pain-modulating techniques such as using a freeze spray or a vibratory device to offset the pain of the shot. They also help children to learn techniques on how to keep their bodies still or distract their minds from the pain. They have truly been amazing partners; the parents have been so grateful for their help.

We added a sensory room to our vaccine site with light and tactile items to help neurotypical children that need additional support or for neuro-diverse children needing targeted interventions for coping. After the vaccine the child gets to pick a prize which has been a huge hit with all age ranges. Even the parents have remarked that they wished getting their own vaccine had been this much fun. Through the vaccine clinic, KCH has been able to showcase how we can engage and care for children and their families. 

Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

A: It’s hard to pick just one thing. The patients and families that I have the honor to serve are the heart of my practice. I am so humbled to walk beside families going through some of the most traumatic events of their lives. It is patients and families that continue to amaze me. They have shared their lives with us and shown grace, generosity, and strength during times of heartache. 

It’s also been rewarding to work shoulder-to-shoulder with incredible faculty and staff at UK HealthCare. Of all the places I have worked in the past, UK is unique in that everyone is focused on providing excellent patient care and dedicated to the well-being of their patients. I really enjoy hearing from my colleagues in all disciplines about ways we can improve care and push ourselves to a higher level. I enjoy translating the challenges and barriers into solutions and strategies to implement changes. I have been so inspired by being able to look back on the changes that have occurred throughout our institution, because we have listened to the exceptional people at the front lines.

Q: Why did you join UK?

A: I joined UK as pediatric faculty in 2013 for some very important reasons. KCH is unique in that it has a broad clinical practice and patient pathology and attracts faculty who want both an exciting practice and also a close-knit, collaborative community. The people who work at UK, particularly KCH, are dedicated to taking excellent care of their patients and also of each other.  Having completed my medical school, residency, and research years at UK prior to joining as faculty showed me firsthand the power of this collaborative community. The people who I have the pleasure of working with every day have been inspirational for me.

After experiencing other health systems, I was so excited to have the opportunity to come back to UK and put roots down here in the Commonwealth. I’m also fortunate that UK has allowed me to innovate in my clinical practice, so I have been able to grow and change over time. This latitude to try new ways to improve care for children has given me immense job satisfaction and opportunity to advance in my career goals.

Q: What have been some of your major accomplishments in your medical career?

A: I would say many of my proudest moments were from projects or initiatives that were team efforts. One of my most defining accomplishments has been the growth of the pediatric palliative clinical practice from a small program in 2013 to a robust interdisciplinary division today.

The work that our team has been able to do at KCH has garnered national attention. We have been recognized for our innovative programs such as home extubation transports, pioneering perimortem genetic testing, and for being a founding hospital of the Pediatric Palliative Improvement Network. 

In 2019, I was awarded a national recognition as an Emerging Leader from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and in 2020, I had the honor to publish a book entitled, “What Do I Do Now? Pediatric Palliative Care,” which provides case-based medical guidance on caring for children with serious illness and their families. My goal continues to be improving access to pediatric palliative care in Kentucky and nationally. I was appointed to Kentucky’s Interdisciplinary Council for Palliative Care in 2019 and serve as chair on a national committee for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. I continue to advocate for children with serious illness and their families to receive high-quality holistic care that aligns with their goals, especially in Kentucky where resources are limited. I have been fortunate to be recognized for my leadership and have the opportunity to serve as interim chief medical officer for KCH.

Our hospital has grown tremendously in the past decade and has become a leader in Kentucky for pediatric health care. I am excited to be part of the amazing faculty and staff at KCH who are truly dedicated to their patients and families.

Q: What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?

A: I love travel and experiencing different cultures and cuisines. My husband and I have traveled to many different countries, and these experiences have shaped our lives and perspectives. We hope that as we move through the pandemic, international travel will become easier again. During this time, we shifted to exploring closer to home with our two children. We go hiking or geocaching most weekends and have uncovered some really beautiful areas here in Kentucky. We love teaching our children about nature and using the power of observation.

During the pandemic, I started to focus more on my own well-being and finding ways to maintain positivity. I have really loved expanding my yoga practice and learning to hold positions and use my breath during difficult times. This practice really translates to other aspects of my life, learning to breathe through tough times and leaning into challenges.