Dr. John Gurley receives Blue Jacket recognition for exceptional care of 98-year-old patient

Dr. Rick McClure and Dr. John Gurley

The UK HealthCare Jacket Program was established to recognize a UK HealthCare employee who has positively impacted a patient experience in an extraordinary way through patient-centered care and safety.

These employees embody our UK HealthCare values, and these jackets are specifically given to staff who have made an everlasting impression on the patients they care for, treating them and their families with ongoing respect and compassion.

Dr. John Gurley, Director of the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Structural Heart Program, was recently awarded a Blue Jacket after a patient highlighted the exceptional care Dr. Gurley continues to provide to positively impact this patient’s life. The patient, who turned 98 last November, shared the following note of gratitude to Dr. Gurley:

"The time was Father’s Day in 2017, when I woke up around 2:00am with chest problems. My wife phoned Dr. Peter Sawaya, who is a member of our church and a good friend for many years. Dr. Sawaya told us to go to the hospital immediately, which we did. I was referred to the heart department, and upon arrival Dr. Sawaya met me there with Dr. Gurley, where both of these specialists did what was needed. They admitted me, X-rayed me, and gave me the treatment I needed. Within a few days in the hospital, Dr. Gurley placed a stint in my arteries to my heart. 

I was released from the hospital within a week and since that time have not experienced any heart problems. I was so proud of him and his personal interest in my well-being that I feel that I owe him my life. I will be 98 years old in November 2020 and am still able to practice law because of these doctors and the incredible care they gave me. Thank you for everything you have done for myself and my family."

This content was produced by UK HealthCare Brand Strategy.

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    Heart Health-Our People-Patient Stories