Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center (EMRMC) has been designated a Silver Level Center on the Pathway to Excellence in Life Support by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), effective January 1, 2026. EMRMC joins an exclusive group of just 306 internationally recognized ECMO centers—and is one of only 80 centers worldwide to hold Silver Level designation.

The Silver Level award is the highest recognition available to ECMO programs in their first three years of operation, acknowledging centers that demonstrate exceptional commitment to evidence-based care, rigorous staff training, and outstanding patient outcomes.

A Record of Excellence

Since performing its first case in January 2023, EMRMC’s ECMO program has achieved remarkable results. The program is the first and only center in Kentucky to offer 24/7 in-house ECPR (extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation) capability, and the 14th hospital nationwide to provide this level of around-the-clock cardiac arrest intervention. Despite being a relatively young program, EMRMC’s survival rates exceed national averages and are on par with other centers of excellence in resuscitation.

The program has also achieved several clinical firsts, including performing the first aspiration thrombectomy of a pulmonary embolism on ECMO in Kentucky; a complex, lifesaving procedure offered at only a handful of centers across the country. EMRMC provides comprehensive extracorporeal life support including VA-ECMO, VV-ECMO, and ECPELLA, supported by board-certified Emergency Department, Interventional Radiology and full-service intensive care teams.

A City of Firsts

These achievements continue a legacy of medical innovation in Danville. In 1809, Dr. Ephraim McDowell performed the world’s first successful abdominal surgery here, removing a 22-pound ovarian tumor without anesthesia or antiseptics—a procedure that had previously never been survived. That pioneering spirit lives on at the hospital bearing his name, now bringing 21st-century lifesaving technology to patients across Kentucky and beyond.

About ECMO

ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) is the most advanced form of life support available, providing temporary support for patients experiencing acute heart or lung failure. The technology functions as an external heart-lung machine, oxygenating blood outside the body and allowing damaged organs time to heal. ECPR extends this capability to patients in cardiac arrest, offering a chance at survival when conventional CPR alone is not sufficient. EMRMC’s ability to place patients undergoing CPR onto ECMO at the bedside in minutes, 24/7, is unique in the state of Kentucky and places it amongst only a handful in the world to provide this level of care.

The ELSO Award of Excellence, established in 2006, recognizes ECLS programs that meet the highest standards of quality, patient care, and staff education. Centers earning this distinction demonstrate advanced infrastructure, defined patient protocols, specialized equipment, and a commitment to continuous improvement.