Bluegrass Care Navigators Names Dr. James Borders as PACE Medical Director

July 31, 2023

Dr. James Borders is the new Medical Director for Bluegrass PACE Care. PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. In this role, Borders will lead the day-to-day operations of our PACE program, overseeing clinical staff and ensuring high-quality patient care.   

Dr. Borders brings more than four decades of experience to Bluegrass PACE Care. After graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 1979 and completing residency in internal medicine at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, he held a private practice in Dallas for six years. In 1988, he joined his twin brother John in internal medicine practice in Lexington, where he continued until becoming Chief Medical Officer of Baptist Health Lexington, a role he held from 2015-2022. 


At Baptist Health, Dr. Borders co-led the ethics committee and was heavily involved in case management. As he encountered complex situations involving patient care, often in underserved communities, he realized these challenging circumstances facing many patients could be improved through programs like Bluegrass PACE Care. PACE assists aging Kentuckians to remain independent at home, by coordinating all aspects of participants’ care through a comprehensive team of clinicians and services provided in the home and at the PACE Center.  


“Dr. Borders brings many years of experience and expertise, and we are delighted to have him join our team,” Liz Fowler, President and CEO of Bluegrass Care Navigators, said. “He embraces the mission of Bluegrass Care Navigators to deliver comforting care to all at the right time and we look forward to continuing to support participants and families with high-quality care under his leadership.” 

Leading PACE represents a natural evolution in career path, according to Dr. Borders. He considers PACE to be a calling and ministry to this population and greatly looks forward to this new chapter. 


Bluegrass PACE Care opened in July of 2022 as the first Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly in Kentucky. This program is available to Medicare or Medicaid recipients aged 55 or older who qualify for a nursing home level of care, who live in the service area of the PACE organization, and who can continue to live independently with the help of PACE services.  



For more information, call 855.492.0812 or visit www.bgcarenav.org/PACE. 

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