KU-St. Luke’s partnership could be finalized by mid-summer

A new relationship between Kansas University’s medical-education center and a private Kansas City, Mo. hospital could be finalized by mid-summer, according to a statement released Monday.Saint Luke’s Hospital on Monday announced that its board had voted Friday to “proceed with finalizing” its affiliation with Kansas University Medical Center. It set a target date of June 30 to finish the deal. Leaders at Kansas University Hospital, KU’s longtime partner, have voiced concerns about the plan as they try to structure their own relationship with KU for the next decade. Last week, KU Hospital’s board set a target date of May 31 to finish its negotiations.But KU Hospital’s board members want to see a final version of the Saint Luke’s deal before they approve anything.Saint Luke’s says its affiliation may include training KU medical fellows in endocrinology, geriatrics, nephrology, palliative care, advanced cardiology research, stroke, maternal/fetal medicine, and subspecialty anesthesiology. KU residency programs could include neurology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, plastic surgery, and urology.