Published: October 7, 2026
Norton Children’s is excited to welcome M. Linley Harvie, M.D., pediatric gastroenterologist and medical director of Norton Children’s Gastroenterology, affiliated with UofL School of Medicine. Dr. Harvie is physician co-lead of the new Norton Children’s intestinal rehabilitation program, which improves access to care and restores an important service for our pediatric patients.For the past 16 years, children needing this type of specialized gastroenterology care were referred out of the region and often out of state, asking medically complex families to drive hours for routine follow-up care. That is no longer necessary, thanks to Dr. Harvie’s expertise.“Norton Children’s is now the only hospital in the state of Kentucky with an intestinal rehabilitation program,” she said.
The Norton Children’s intestinal rehabilitation program serves as a “medical home” for its patients, most of whom will remain in the program until age 18.The majority of patients carry a diagnosis of short bowel syndrome and have undergone a procedure for intestine removal in the neonatal intensive care unit or later in childhood.Common causes among neonates include necrotizing enterocolitis and gastroschisis. Later-onset cases usually have an acute onset, related to conditions such as midgut volvulus, long-segment Hirschsprung’s disease or an ischemic bowel caused by trauma or a cardiac event.A smaller segment of patients have functional intestinal failure, where the intestine is fully intact, but the bowel simply does not work.Care is provided by a multidisciplinary team. Admitted patients are reviewed weekly with the team from Norton Children’s Neonatology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. Patients seen in the outpatient setting are discussed as a group ahead of multidisciplinary clinic visits, where families may see gastroenterology, surgery, nutrition, pharmacy, social work and the clinic coordinator in a single, coordinated visit.The program’s goal is to reduce patients’ need for hospitalization. The team emphasizes education for families managing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) at home, to help prevent line infections.
“We want to keep them out of the hospital as much as possible,” Dr. Harvie said.When to refer a patient
According to Dr. Harvie, any patient with short bowel syndrome should be referred to the Norton Children’s intestinal rehabilitation program. All children sent home on TPN for short bowel syndrome or intestinal failure should be referred, but even patients discharged without TPN may need lab monitoring through the first years of life. An evaluation determines whether ongoing follow-up is warranted.
The goal is weaning. The program’s goal for patients is to get off TPN and rehab their intestines. Some children will not achieve full autonomy, and those patients continue on TPN with close monitoring.Watch micronutrients. Vitamin and mineral levels are checked roughly every six months, since absorption is often impaired. Deficits may be corrected through TPN adjustment or injections. Weight gain and electrolyte levels are important clinical markers.Liver risk is TPN-driven. Children on TPN warrant liver monitoring, though Dr. Harvie notes that newer medications and lipid formulations have improved protection. Short bowel syndrome alone, without TPN, does not confer added liver risk.Dr. Harvie earned her medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson and completed her internship, residency and pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. She cares for children with a wide range of digestive conditions and believes in treating the whole child — body, mind and emotions — pairing medication (when needed) with nutrition and lifestyle. Dr. Harvie is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the UofL School of Medicine.