PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Officials from Mayo Clinic and Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) announced today that PMC is the latest member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. PMC provides high-quality compassionate care to a region of more than 420,000 people in 15 counties and the states of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Mayo Clinic Care Network extends Mayo Clinic's knowledge and expertise to physicians and providers interested in working together in the best interest of their patients. PMC providers will have access to Mayo Clinic resources, including its online point-of-care information system and its electronic consulting process that connects physicians with Mayo Clinic specialists on questions of diagnosis, therapy or care management.

PMC is a 261-bed facility with a growing campus that features some of the region's most advanced medical technology and more than a half million square feet of space. The hospital is currently undergoing a $150 million expansion that includes an 11-story clinic and 10-story parking facility. Pikeville Medical Center employs more than 2,300 people.

"Pikeville Medical Center is honored that we have been asked to become a member of Mayo Clinic Care Network," says Walter E. May, president and chief executive officer of Pikeville Medical Center. "I have admired Mayo Clinic for many years and tried to make Pikeville Medical Center more like the Mayo Clinic. This new agreement will take our hospital to the next level."

"We are pleased to welcome Pikeville Medical Center and its more than 2,000 employees into our Mayo Clinic Care Network family," says Stephen Lange, M.D., southeast medical director of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. "Our mission is to work collaboratively to improve the quality of health care and value for our patients. We are very excited to work together with Pikeville to find bold and innovative ways to enhance the quality of life for the patients in that region of the country."

PMC physicians will be able to connect with Mayo Clinic specialists on questions of complex medical care using an electronic consulting technique called eConsults. PMC physicians also will have access to Mayo-vetted medical information through the AskMayoExpert. These tools, in addition to health care consulting, will help the staff at PMC provide the best care for its patients as well as improve its systems and the health of the community.

The Mayo Clinic Care Network represents non-ownership relationships. With Mayo Clinic, members of the network share a commitment to improve the quality and delivery of health care. The primary goal of the Mayo Clinic Care Network is to help people gain the benefits of Mayo Clinic knowledge and expertise close to home, ensuring that patients need to travel for care only when necessary.

The network launched in 2011, and has member organizations based in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit MayoClinic.com or MayoClinic.org/news.