by Matt Batcheldor
Christine Farmer, 90, lives in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, but she found Vanderbilt-quality care close to home.
Farmer has recurrent PAF, or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, a serious type of cardiac arrhythmia that could lead to heart attacks. Rather than a make a two-hour roundtrip to the main Vanderbilt University Medical Center campus, she now receives her care at the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Clinic (VHVI) in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, which has a partnership with the community hospital there, Jennie Stuart Medical Center. The partnership offers seamless care for heart patients — access to local resources and specialized care in Nashville if needed.
In March, Farmer was experiencing recurrent heart palpitations, and her Vanderbilt doctor, Richard Jennings, MD, referred her to the emergency department at Jennie Stuart. From Jennie Stuart, she was taken to the main VUMC campus, where she received a pacemaker under the care of George Crossley, MD, professor of Medicine.
“All the nurses and doctors were all very nice,” she said. “Polite and cordial. Listened to what I had to say about myself and everything.”
Farmer credits the care she received for saving her life.
“I wasn’t going to go much further,” she said. “I don’t think I would have lived another week if I hadn’t got it done.”
In May 2023, Farmer received an AV (atrioventricular) node ablation, a procedure to treat her atrial fibrillation. The procedure destroys a small amount of tissue to get the heart back in rhythm.
She said it’s convenient having care nearby. She doesn’t drive, and she needs someone to drive her when she goes to Nashville. “I’m glad you’ve got the clinic in Hopkinsville,” she said. “It’s handy for me.”
Her doctor, Jennings, adds, “It is a privilege to be able to care for Mrs. Farmer in her community. Vanderbilt’s partnership with Jennie Stuart Health allows our patients to have a seamless transition between acute medical services and the specialized care we offer in our Hopkinsville clinic and at the main VUMC campus.”