Ephraim McDowell Health is excited to announce the opening of Ephraim McDowell Lung Center on February 1. The Center is located at 216 West Walnut Street inside the Ephraim McDowell Specialty Center in Danville.
The Ephraim McDowell Lung Center will offer the medical specialties of thoracic surgery and pulmonology in a collaborative approach for diagnosing and treating conditions and diseases of the lungs. The Lung Center will be staffed by a thoracic surgeon, two pulmonologists, and two advanced practice providers supporting the pulmonologists. This will be the only team in the region that offers minimally invasive robotic lung surgery.
Joining Ephraim McDowell Health as part of the Lung Center is Dr. C. Wayne Holley, a board-certified thoracic surgeon. In addition to Dr. Holley, also joining Ephraim McDowell Health at the Lung Center are Dr. David Knitter, board-certified pulmonologist, and Lindsay Knitter, certified physician assistant. They will work along with Dr. Jared Hagaman, board-certified pulmonologist, and Krystina Browning, advanced practice provider, who have practiced at the Specialty Center for many years. Together the providers will diagnose and treat conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer, lung infections, pulmonary fibrosis, occupational lung disease and sleep disorders. Their services also include pulmonary rehabilitation and smoking cessation.
“Ephraim McDowell Health is pleased to introduce the Lung Center to the communities we serve,” says Dr. Gary Bunch, chief medical officer, Ephraim McDowell Health. “Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the nation, and this region of central Kentucky leads the nation for the most number of lung cancer cases diagnosed. With the three new providers we are adding, we are now poised to make a difference in the fight against lung cancer.”
Dr. Holley graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and a residency in thoracic surgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He then completed his fellowship in thoracic surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His interests include all aspects of non-cardiac chest surgery, especially the use of minimally invasive techniques for surgical treatment of lung cancer.
Dr. Knitter graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He then completed his residency and fellowship at the VA Medical Center in Salem, VA. Dr. Knitter is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in pulmonology and sleep medicine. His interests include the management of pulmonary and sleep disorders with emphasis on the evaluation and management of lung cancer including early detection by lung cancer screening.
Lindsay Knitter graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science and then earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from James Madison University. She is passionate about providing high-quality patient care and establishing good rapport with patients. She has practiced both sleep and pulmonary medicine for several years, but also takes special interest in lung cancer screening facilitating early detection and treatment.