LEXINGTON, Ky. - The University of Kentucky has filed an appeal in a case involving an open records request made by WUKY.
The station first reported in December that UK Healthcare had stopped doing pediatric heart surgeries and placed the program under review. Last month the Kentucky Attorney General ruled that UK violated the state’s Open Records Act by refusing to release information related to the surgery program.
Since then UK has also denied a similar open records request made by the Lexington Herald-Leader.
The university disagrees with the Attorney General’s opinion and is basing its appeal on patient privacy concerns and the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act.
“The complex issues raised by the requests cannot be resolved simply by asserting that the public has a right to know,” UK's general counsel William Thro said in a written statement.
Reporter Brenna Angel is named in the complaint that was filed in Fayette Circuit Court Thursday.
WUKY is owned by the University of Kentucky and receives underwriting from UK Healthcare.
