Teamwork: it’s a concept that often leads to success, whether you’re competing in the NCAA championships or providing healthcare to a medically-complex patient population. At Lee Specialty Clinic in Louisville, medical, dental and allied health professionals team up to offer a full range of state-of-the-art health services for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This team-oriented, interdisciplinary approach also allows for a personal connection.
Rep. Jimmie Lee, D-Elizabethtown
The clinic’s myriad of clinical specialists work together to create a compassionate healthcare home for their patients. Named for former State Representative Jimmie Lee of Elizabethtown, an outspoken advocate and leading legislative voice for Kentuckians with IDD, the facility offers everything from dental care to psychological, medical and therapeutic services, all of which can be provided under one roof. The outpatient facility, built almost two years ago at a cost of $4.7 million, is designed to support special-needs patients age 16 and older, a rarity in a healthcare climate that tends to focus on children with disabilities. In the future, the clinic plans to expand to accept younger patients as well.
An affiliate of multiple colleges and universities throughout Kentucky, the Lee Specialty Clinic offers doctors and students from around the world an opportunity to train with seasoned clinical mentors, and gain valuable experience treating patients with special-needs in a uniquely collaborative environment. Clinical education programs include training in developmental medicine and dentistry, psychiatry, nursing, dental hygiene, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech and language pathology.
The clinic also supports interdisciplinary, patient-focused research, and has received local and national awards in recognition of their leadership in this arena.
Collaborative Care
Collaboration among the professional staff at Lee Specialty Clinic allows for a more seamless approach to coordinated care, whether in the routine patient examination, or in more intense crisis situations. A family is often able to meet with multiple specialists at once to help in the development of an individualized, whole-person healthcare plan for their loved one.
The clinic offers a wide array of outpatient services, including primary care medicine, general dentistry, psychiatry, clinical psychology, behavior analysis, diagnostic and laboratory services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, pharmacological counseling, nutritional counseling, and crisis intervention.
Physical disabilities and behavioral conditions such as autism spectrum disorders can present special challenges, and seeking even the most basic medical care can be especially stressful for patients 
with special needs – as well as for some healthcare providers who lack necessary training and experience. The Lee Specialty Clinic’s holistic, interdisciplinary approach allows for the delivery of consistent care by clinicians with familiar faces in a setting that is familiar to patients and their families – a win-win approach for all involved. The clinic accepts Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and private payments.
A state-of-the-art facility combined with caring, well-trained personnel make for a championship team; but the real winners are the patients and their families.
Services Provided
- Primary Care Medicine
- General Dentistry
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavior Analysis
- Diagnostic/Laboratory Services
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Pharmacological Counseling
- Nutritional Counseling
- Crisis Intervention
-Beth Swann is with Lee Specialty Clinic.
