News from Indiana University Health

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Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Hey! This is a test of press releases!

Medication and primary care best in HIV treatment

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Combination proves beneficial in large study

Bloomington, Ind. (June 2, 2011) – HIV is a threat to a person’s health, but it’s also a threat to the person you are with. One major fear for couples who are serodiscordant, where one person is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative, is the spread of this disease to the person you care about.

The HIV Prevention Trials Network just announced the findings of HPTN 052, a Phase III randomized trial that looked at the effectiveness of two different treatment strategies in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV in HIV-serodiscordant couples. The two strategies tested were: 1.) starting the HIV-positive partner on antiretroviral therapy, which works to suppress the HIV virus, immediately upon admission into the trial plus initiating HIV primary care, and 2.) beginning HIV primary care upon admission to the trial, but delaying the start of antiretroviral therapy until the HIV-positive partner met certain criteria based on a blood test.

The study found the first strategy worked overwhelmingly well by lowering the risk of passing HIV onto the HIV negative partner.

“The results of this study prove that education and prevention together with medication may be effective in controlling HIV,” says Emily Brinegar, prevention coordinator at Positive Link, a program of Indiana University Health Bloomington Community Health.

Almost 1,800 couples from four continents participated the HPTN 052 trial. The couples were randomly assigned to the two strategies. The results showed that only one of the immediately treated couples gained a “linked” HIV infection in comparison to 27 “linked” infections in the group that waited to begin antiretroviral therapy.

“This is a theory that’s been floating around for years. The idea is that someone who is living with HIV, but whose disease is managed through medications, has a lower amount of HIV in their body and will therefore be less likely to spread the virus to someone else through the known modes of transmission,” Brinegar explains. “The fact is we know this works with pregnant mothers who are HIV positive. When a pregnant, HIV-positive woman receives antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and has a cesarean section, the chances of her child becoming infected during the pregnancy or birth are less than two percent.”

While the medications used in antiretroviral therapy are a key component of HIV treatment, Brinegar points out that education and prevention are just as important in reducing the risk of spreading and contracting HIV. Positive Link works continuously in the community to provide HIV/AIDS education and HIV testing in order to raise awareness about the disease.

“Knowing your HIV status and how to protect yourself are two of the best ways to prevent the spread of HIV,” Brinegar says. “I would encourage people to know their risks, to talk to their healthcare providers about getting tested, and talk to their partners about their risks and getting tested.”

Anonymous and confidential HIV testing is available through Positive Link (333 E. Miller Dr., Bloomington) during its walk in hours on Mondays from 2 to 6 pm. For more information about Positive Link or HIV testing, please call 812.353.9150.

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Indiana University Health Bloomington has provided leading care to south central Indiana for more than 105 years. As a not-for-profit organization, IU Health Bloomington serves a patient base of more than 415,000 people in 10 south central Indiana counties. It holds Magnet designation as well as Primary Stroke Center certification, is an accredited Chest Pain Center and received approval with commendation from the Commission on Cancer. To learn more about IU Health Bloomington, visit iuhealth.org/bloomington or call 812.353.5252.

As the only nationally recognized healthcare system in Indiana, Indiana University Health is dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent care. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s leading medical schools – and the depth of experience from the most complete network of highly skilled specialty and primary care physicians, gives IU Health unparalleled strength in delivering assurance to patients. Discover the strength at iuhealth.org.

“One of the Most Dangerous Tools Around the Home”

Mon, 9 May 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Indiana University Health Bloomington urges families to protect against lawn mower injuries

Bloomington, Ind. (May 9, 2011) – With springtime in full swing, Hoosiers are starting to tackle their growing lawns. But before you get out the lawn mower, Indiana University Health Bloomington wants families to take caution.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the power lawn mower is one of the most dangerous tools around the home. Each year, emergency departments treat approximately 68,000 people with lawn mower injuries – those who are operating lawn mowers as well as those who are simply nearby in the yard. More than 9,000 of those injury cases are children under age 18.

“The most common lawn mower injury we see is maimed or amputated extremities,” said Owen Slaughter, MD, board-certified emergency physician at IU Health Bloomington Hospital. “This happens when a child unexpectedly approaches a lawn mower from behind and the operator of the mower inadvertently backs over the child.”

Other common lawn mower injuries can include deep cuts, fractures, head and eye injuries, and burns. Hidden objects in the yard are a common culprit. Mowers project the items into the air, turning them into flying missiles.

“The bottom line is that adults and children need to exercise caution and common sense when operating any type of machinery – especially lawn mowers,” Dr. Slaughter said. “Good advice is to expect the unexpected.”

To prevent lawn mower injuries to children, IU Health Bloomington and the AAP recommend the following:

Make sure that children are indoors or at a safe distance well away from the area that you plan to mow.
Inspect the lawn before mowing and pick up hidden objects in the grass.
Do not pull the mower backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary and carefully look for children behind you when you mow in reverse.
Do not allow children to ride as passengers on ride-on mowers.
Children under age 12 should not use walk-behind mowers.
Children under age 16 should not be allowed to use ride-on mowers.
Make sure that sturdy shoes (not sandals or sneakers) are worn while mowing.
Have anyone who uses a mower wear hearing and eye protection.
Try to use a mower with a control that stops the mower from moving forward if the handle is let go.
Always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths, roads, or other areas.
Make sure that blade settings are done by an adult, with the mower off and the spark plug removed or disconnected.
Start and refuel mowers outdoors, not in a garage or shed. Mowers should be refueled with the motor turned off and cool.
Use a collection bag for grass clippings or a plate that covers the opening where cut grass is released.

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Help local program fighting childhood obesity win a national award

Fri, 6 May 2011 00:00:00 EDT

G.O.A.L. program is up for innovation award

Bloomington, Ind. (May 6, 2011) – The statistics on childhood obesity in the U.S. and Indiana are alarming. In the United States, one in three children is affected by the obesity epidemic. In Monroe County, preliminary research indicates that 32.6 percent of children are overweight or obese.

To help kids in south central Indiana avoid the long-term health issues that come with being overweight or obese, a group of community partners, including Indiana University Health Bloomington, City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation, Southern Indiana Pediatrics, Monroe County YMCA, Monroe County Community School Corporation, Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation and the Office of Community Health Engagement at IU, introduced the G.O.A.L. program in 2010. Pediatricians refer high risk kids to the program, which accepts about 20 kids for each 12 week session.

“G.O.A.L. stands for Get Onboard Active Living and is a program where we work with kids and their families to focus on how to eat more healthy, move more, feel better about themselves and utilize community resources to make healthy lifestyle changes,” says Hannah Laughlin, MPH, G.O.A.L. program coordinator.

The program caught the attention of a national audience when Laughlin applied for the Healthy Living Innovation Award through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. G.O.A.L. was one of nearly 300 programs vying for the awards. Judges, including representatives from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House, narrowed the field down to just 22 finalists of which G.O.A.L. is one.

The public now has the chance to vote for which program deserves the award for being the most innovative in dealing with a current health challenge. Voting is open online now through May 31. You can vote once per day at healthylivinginnovation.challenge.gov. Click “Submissions” and G.O.A.L. is at the top of the page.

“G.O.A.L. is doing great work with our local kids. We’ve had two cohorts go through the program already and the results we’re seeing in both the kids and their families are outstanding. We’re really making a difference in the health of our kids, which is amazing to see,” says Laughlin. “This program is unique to southern Indiana and I hope everyone will join me in voting for G.O.A.L. It would be so exciting to bring this national award home to Bloomington!”

For more information about G.O.A.L., please contact Hannah Laughlin at 812.353.9342.

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IU Health reminds community about the importance of knowing, recognizing stroke symptoms

Thu, 5 May 2011 00:00:00 EDT

May is National Stroke Month

Bloomington, Ind. (May 5, 2011) – Stroke, sometimes called a “brain attack,” is a leading cause of death and the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States,though studies have shown few Americans know its signs and symptoms. May is National Stroke Month and a good time to learn about how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke, says Susan Savastuk, RN, stroke program manager at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital.

Every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke and roughly every four minutes a person dies from stroke. IU Health Bloomington Hospital is taking steps to ensure the public recognizes the symptoms of stroke and knows to react quickly.

"Strokes occur when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and vital nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures," Savastuk explains. "When this occurs, part of the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, and millions of valuable nerve cells are destroyed within minutes."

IU Health Bloomington Hospital is a Primary Stroke Center, which means it has gone through a rigorous survey and accreditation process with the Joint Commission to ensure that the stroke care it provides the community is high quality and comprehensive.

“As a Primary Stroke Center, we have teams available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to care for victims of stroke. Whether a patient suffering a stroke comes through our doors at 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning, we’re ready,” Savastuk says. “Stroke is a medical emergency, and as we say, ‘time is brain.’”

If a stroke is recognized and the person gets to IU Health Bloomington Hospital quickly by calling 911, a “clot-busting” medication called tPA, or tissue plasminogin activator, may be able to be used to stop the stroke and save the brain from more damage. tPA must be administered within three hours of the first stroke symptom to be effective, however. Being able to recognize stroke signs and then calling 911 if one is present are two of the most important aspects of stroke care.

The primary symptoms of stroke include:

Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face or facial drooping
Sudden numbness or weakness in an arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

“If just one of these symptoms is present, there’s a 70 percent chance the person is having a stroke,” says Savastuk. “You can easily remember how to recognize stroke by thinking about the word ‘fast.’ Look for Facial droop, Arm drift, Speech problems or difficulty understanding, and the Time symptoms started.”

Learn more about stroke care in our region by clicking Neuroscience Services under Medical Services at iuhealth.org/Bloomington. You can also visit the National Stroke Association’s website at stroke.org to learn more about stroke and how to lower your risk.

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IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians expanding services, locations

Mon, 2 May 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Bloomington, Ind. (May 2, 2011) – For more than 15 years, Indiana University Health Southern Indiana Physicians (formerly Southern Indiana Medical Group) has provided south central Indiana with increased access to primary healthcare. To better meet the needs of the community, IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians will expand by adding specialty care to its group of physician practices as well as new facilities.

On May 1, Southern Indiana Pediatrics and Orthopedics of Southern Indiana will officially become a part of IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians. The addition of these two well-known Bloomington physician groups will expand the services offered by IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians to include comprehensive pediatric care as well as orthopedic services such as joint replacement and sports medicine.

"The physicians of Southern Indiana Pediatrics see both Riley Hospital and IU Health Bloomington Hospital as our natural partners. Our goal has been to develop a network of care for children throughout our area that provides excellent care both in our office settings but also for those children who need to be hospitalized and /or receive pediatric subspecialty care. The goal is to look to the future and identify how we can sustain strong medical services in our community and provide specialty care as seamlessly as possible," says Jim Laughlin, MD, medical director of Southern Indiana Pediatrics. "We do not yet know what healthcare reform will bring but we know that healthcare is in transition. We firmly believe that physicians need to be leaders and shape healthcare transition as advocates for their patients. They need to work cooperatively in an integrated manner with healthcare systems and payers to develop better and more efficient ways to care for our patients. By actually being part of IU Health Bloomington and Riley Hospital we have a greater opportunity to provide significant leadership in transforming the delivery of healthcare in our community and region for the benefit of our patients, and we are very excited about this opportunity."

Tim Steiner, MD, medical director of Orthopedics of Southern Indiana, agrees. "Because a large part of general medical care involves musculoskeletal problems, we believe that Orthopedics of Southern Indiana is a natural fit with adult and pediatric primary care as the foundation for the region’s IU Health network. The alliance will allow us to provide the same great care on which we built our practice"

Sandy DeWeese, long time administrator at Southern Indiana Pediatrics, will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer of the IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians organization.

"Sandy, along with Dr. Laughlin, has provided key leadership to the Southern Indiana Pediatrics practice to make it what it is today - a busy practice with a great reputation in the community," says Ken Marshall, MD, chief medical officer at IU Health Bloomington and chair of the IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians Board of Directors. "When we saw the opportunity for Sandy to take a senior leadership role at IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians, we jumped at it. Southern Indiana Pediatrics is a role model for how a physician practice should operate and care for its patients. We’re looking forward to Sandy joining our team and helping us improve all of our practices."

In addition to bringing specialty care into the IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians family, the group will also add two new facilities in the coming months. First, is a new primary care practice on Bloomington’s east side that will be similar to the practice opened last year on South Rogers Street. Second, is a pediatric outpatient center at the corner of Arlington Road and State Road 46 that will house Southern Indiana Pediatrics’ Ellettsville office, the IU Health Children’s Therapy Center and a Riley visiting specialist clinic.

Through all of these changes, the names of each practice and the staff at each office will remain the same. Patients will continue to see the same providers they always have and will continue to contact the physician offices at the same phone numbers as they currently do.

"We are thrilled to be integrating specialty care into IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians. We believe it will create more efficiencies in the system for our physicians and help provide for more coordinated care for our patients," says Dr. Marshall.

To find an IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians practice near you, visit iuhealth.org/bloomington or call 812.353.5252.

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About Southern Indiana Pediatrics

20 healthcare providers at locations in Bloomington, Ellettsville and Bedford
Offers comprehensive pediatric primary care and urgent care

About Orthopedics of Southern Indiana

8 surgeons and advanced practice providers in Bloomington
Offers orthopedic and sports medicine surgery services
Provides surgical services to patients served by Volunteers in Medicine

About IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians

16 health care providers at locations in Bloomington, Ellettsville, Spencer, Gosport, Nashville and French Lick
Offers primary care, including family practice and internal medicine

New east side primary care facility

Will be home to six primary care providers
Targeted to open in late fall
4,500 – 5,000 patient visits annually
2,000 square feet
Developer: First Capital
Architect: Bynum Fanyo
Construction: Tony Fox

Ellettsville pediatric outpatient center

Will allow Southern Indiana Pediatrics to expand its Ellettsville office, and be home to the IU Health Children’s Therapy Center, lab and X-ray services from IU Health Bloomington Hospital, and Riley visiting specialist clinic
25,000 square feet
Developer: SIP Ellettsville, LLC
Architect: Bill Cooler Designs
Construction: Building Associates

IU Health Bloomington Breaks Record in Food Drive.

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Hospital employees donated more than 16,000 lbs. of food to Hoosier Hills Food Bank

Bloomington, Ind. (April 19, 2011) – In honor of National Nutrition Month, Indiana University Health Bloomington held its annual Food Drive in March. Staff was encouraged to bring in at least one food item to donate to Hoosier Hills Food Bank, a local United Way Agency serving 96 food pantries in nine counties. The 2011 food drive at IU Health Bloomington collected 16,169 pounds of food, more than doubling the 2010 record of 6,802 pounds.

“We are excited as an organization to join together across many departments as one team to assist with feeding the hungry in Monroe and surrounding counties,” says Connie Hill, Director of Volunteer & Visitor Services, IU Health Bloomington. “This year we set our goal for our food drive to beat our donation from last year and, with the assistance of many staff members, we amazed ourselves by more than doubling our donation from last year. We have quite a challenge ahead of us for our 2012 food drive!”

Since 2008, IU Health Bloomington has hosted an annual food drive during March benefiting Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Each year, the hospital’s donation size has doubled in size as a result of the giving nature of IU Health Bloomington employees and staff.

“It is uplifting to see the employees of IU Health Bloomington band together to give back to the community in such a big way. We had a challenging goal this year and are very humbled by the outpouring of food donations, making this year’s food drive the most successful yet,” says Samantha Schaefer, Registered Dietitian, Community Health at IU Health Bloomington. “The fact that we were able to provide food for so many in need is a heart-warming experience and we look forward to helping our community again next year.”

All food items contributed were weighed individually, totaling 16,169 pounds. The food drive provided the opportunity for friendly competition within IU Health Bloomington departments, as well as the opportunity to further impact the local community. Patient Accounts was the most competitive and successful department at IU Health Bloomington, collecting 10,292 pounds of food. Items donated included canned and dried fruit, canned vegetables and meats, peanut butter, jelly, tuna, crackers, fruit juice, rice, soup, pasta, and more.

“The Hoosier Hills Food Bank distributed over 3.2 million pounds of food in 2010. This huge amount of food could not be distributed without the help of local donors like Indiana University Health,” says Jake Bruner, Office & Development manager at Hoosier Hills Food Bank. “After a busy holiday season we start to see the warehouse thin out a bit since food drives typically slow down in late winter/early spring. Collecting more than 16,000 lbs. of food last month from the Indiana University Health food drive has energized the food bank, and restocked our warehouse.”

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IU Health Bedford offering free digital mammogram

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EST

Indiana University Health Bedford offering free mammograms

IU Health Bedford Hospital, in conjunction with the Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, has recently been awarded a grant on behalf of the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust, Inc. The grant will provide forty-eight (48) free digital mammograms to individuals who are uninsured or under-insured (individuals with medicare and medicaid do not qualify).

To see if you are qualified for a free screening digital mammogram please call 812.275.1441 (Monday through Friday, 8 – 4:30 pm).

About the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust: Since the plate was first made available in 2002, more than $1.1 million has been distributed by the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust through competitively awarded grants to organizations throughout the state for innovative projects for screening mammography services not otherwise available to medically underserved populations in Indiana.

The mission of the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust, Inc. is to increase awareness and improve access to breast cancer screening and diagnosis throughout . All residents may purchase an Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness license plate by visiting their local Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch or the BMV website at www.in.gov/bmv. Of the $40 specialty plate fee, $25 is a direct tax-deductible donation to the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust. The plate can be purchased for use on passenger cars, trucks and recreational vehicles up to 11,000 pounds and motorcycles.

The Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness license plate was the brain-child of the late Nancy Jaynes, a (IN) High School family and consumer sciences teacher. lost her battle with breast cancer in March of 2008. Her vision that the license plate be a traveling billboard and reminder about the importance of early detection and prevention of breast cancer is alive and making a difference to thousands of Hoosiers.

For more information on the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust and the programs it funds, please visit www.breastcancerplate.org or call 866.724.2228.

Preparing for early parenthood

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EST

Dr. Britney Bertsch and Dr. Dan Dusleag will be conducting “How to Prepare for Early Parenthood.” The session will take place March 8^th at 6:30 pm in the McReynolds Conference Room at Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital. The sessions will provide the opportunity for discussion of life as a new parent, exploring issues from crying and sleeping to the reality of parenthood and plans for returning to work, successful breastfeeding and building parental confidence.

When: March 8^th at 6:30 pm

Where: The McReynolds Conference Room at IU Health Bedford Hospital at 2900 W 16^th Street in Bedford

Speaker: Dr. Britney Bertsch & Dr. Dan Dusleag, IU Health Bedford Physician

Topic: How to Prepare for Early Parenthood

Indiana University Health Bloomington to unveil new look

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

Bloomington, Ind. (January 24, 2011) - Indiana University Health Bloomington will publicly unveil the first examples of its new identity and logo, signage and ambulance designs January 24 at 12:30 pm.

The unveiling will take place outside underneath the prominent exterior sign on the east side of the parking garage at IU Health Bloomington Hospital (601 West Second Street). In addition to the reveal of the new hospital sign, new IU Health ambulance designs will also be showcased. The new ambulance designs will be seen throughout the south central Indiana region, as they serve the communities surrounding Bloomington, Bedford and Paoli.

IU Health Bloomington CEO Mark Moore will deliver a short address about how the new brand identity reflects the unified standard of care the statewide IU Health system delivers.

IU Health Bloomington Hospital will join other IU Health facilities on January 24 in the statewide public unveiling of the Indiana University Health brand application.

Featuring strong ties to the Indiana University School of Medicine, the IU Health system includes 16 hospitals, including IU Health Methodist Hospital, IU Health University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. IU Health hospitals in the south central Indiana region include IU Health Bedford Hospital and IU Health Paoli Hospital.

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Bloomington Hospital, a part of Indiana University Health, has provided leading care to south central Indiana for more than 105 years. As a not-for-profit organization, Indiana University Health Bloomington serves a patient base of more than 415,000 people in 10 south central Indiana counties. It holds Magnet designation as well as Primary Stroke Center certification, is an accredited Chest Pain Center and received approval with commendation from the Commission on Cancer. To learn more about IU Health Bloomington, visit iuhealth.org/bloomington or call 812.353.5252.

As the only nationally recognized health care system in Indiana, Indiana University Health is dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent care. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s leading medical schools – and the depth of experience from the most complete network of highly skilled specialty and primary care physicians, gives IU Health unparalleled strength in delivering assurance to patients. Discover the strength at iuhealth.org.

Another milestone: Plaza Drive

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

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Clarian changing hospital names in Bedford, Paoli

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

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Nurses help patients navigate cancer treatment options

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

Bloomington, Ind. (October 27, 2010) – In 2008, Bloomington Hospital treated 164 people with breast cancer; the most common cancer treated at the hospital that year. Because each of these 164 individuals affected by breast cancer is different, each with a unique situation, Bloomington Hospital’s Olcott Center for Cancer Education provides a nurse navigator program.

Janice Ross, RN, manager of the Olcott Center, explained that this program gives patients a navigator who can meet with them and their family in order to help them sort through their health care needs.

She said that the Nurse Navigator “is a patient’s guide; assisting them through the cancer journey from diagnosis until the patient no longer requests or requires their assistance. The navigator provides patient support, education, and facilitates access to vital resources and promotes compliance. Navigators work as a liaison with the patient and physicians, other support departments and provide community outreach programs for patients and families.”

To qualify to be a Nurse Navigator, the nurse needs to be a registered nurse (RN), have three years of oncology experience, and oncology certification. At this time, the two Nurse Navigators at Bloomington Hospital are Ross and Terri Acton, RN, BSN, MS, CBPN-IC.

Ross explains that the nurse navigation process begins with a referral from the patient’s physician or by the patient or family calling the Olcott Center. Ross and Acton also travel to the Southern Indiana Radiological Associates (SIRA) office to meet with women just hearing their diagnosis.

“Every woman diagnosed with cancer is offered to see one of us at the time she learns she has cancer. To take advantage of the nurse navigator program, you do not need a physician’s referral. We want this program to be easily available to anyone in our region with breast cancer who would like our assistance,” she says.

Patients and their families then make an appointment with Ross or Acton, so they can ask questions, learn more about their cancer and the treatments and services available to them. The Nurse Navigators will meet inpatients at the hospital if needed or in the Olcott Center’s office.

In addition during the appointment, the nurse will work with the patient and family on a needs assessment that covers financial, emotional, transportation and any other potential needs the patient may have. Based on this assessment, the Nurse Navigators can help direct the patient and their family to community and support services from which they could benefit.

“After we have the initial appointment with the patient and her or his family, we follow up with a phone call the following week to answer any questions and make sure that they know they can come back and see us or call any time,” Ross says. “We also contact them via phone or mail every three months for the following year to check in, let them know we’re thinking about them, and see if we can be of any assistance.”

In addition to providing this emotional and educational support, the Nurse Navigators can assist with making appointments and assuring the patient has their films and documents to be prepared for any doctor appointments. The Nurse Navigators have relationships with the hospital staff, physician offices, as well as community resources, to promote the continuity of care for the patient.

“Cancer is a scary and uncertain time. We want our clients and their families to know that they don’t have to go through this process alone,” says Ross. “We’re there to provide education and support, and help them navigate through the treatment and recovery process. This is the right thing to do for our patients and we’re happy to be able to provide this service.”

Thanks to the support of the Bloomington Hospital Foundation and the community, all services, including the nurse navigation program, are free. To learn more about the Olcott Center, please visit bloomingtonhospital.org/cancer or call 812.353.HOPE.

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Bloomington Hospital, a Clarian Health Partner, has been innovative in providing quality care to south central Indiana communities for more than a century. Offering a comprehensive continuum of care, Bloomington Hospital is a not-for-profit organization and has a patient base of 413,000 in 10 counties (Brown, Daviess, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington). Bloomington Hospital currently operates two hospital campuses (Bloomington and Orange County) with regional specialty offerings for Heart and Vascular, Behavioral Health, Cancer, Women and Children, Neurology and Orthopedic services. As a leading hospital in Indiana, Bloomington Hospital enhances health by advancing the art and science of medicine through the use of new technologies, procedures and care.

Clarian announces facility name changes in south central Indiana

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

Names will officially change in early 2011

Bloomington, Ind. (October 26, 2010) – Effective in early 2011, Clarian Health partners Bedford Regional Medical Center, Bloomington Hospital of Orange County and the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) will all have new names as the health system changes over to Indiana University Health.

Bedford Regional Medical Center will become IU Health Bedford Hospital, while Bloomington Hospital of Orange County will be named IU Health Paoli Hospital. MPRI will change its name to IU Health Proton Therapy Center. Bloomington Hospital’s name will remain the same, but will add the IU Health brand to become IU Health Bloomington Hospital.

The name changes are part of a larger effort to establish a new identity that better aligns with Clarian’s, soon to be IU Health’s, vision to provide one standard of care.

The names of all hospitals within the Clarian system will align with the IU Health name, yet maintain their local identity.

“We will be proud to be known as IU Health Bedford Hospital. To our patients, the IU Health name will become synonymous with high quality, coordinated patient-centered care,” says Brad Dykes, CEO at Bedford Regional Medical Center.

Larry Bailey, CEO of Bloomington Hospital of Orange County, agrees, “Being able to more clearly show our strong connection to Clarian, the IU School of Medicine and the other high quality hospitals in our system will help us demonstrate the level of care our community can expect to receive from our hospital.”

This change results from Clarian’s most significant customer and market research in its history, which gathered insight from nearly 2,800 of its patients and their families, referring physicians and staff members throughout the state.

The name IU Health will better identify Clarian’s unique brand of nationally recognized health care, reinforce its partnership with Indiana University and the IU School of Medicine, which provides patients with access to innovative research treatments, and better reflect the breadth of its mission.

“With the renaming, MPRI will remain the preeminent proton therapy center in the country with our unique ability to leverage extraordinary patient care and state-of-the-art particle therapy research and development expertise,” says Dr. Peter Johnstone, MPRI CEO and president.

Related elements, including the IU Health logo will be unveiled first to staff, and then to the general public in early 2011.

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For more information:

Amanda Roach, APR
Media Relations Coordinator
Bloomington Hospital
t 812.353.9691
ajroach@bloomingtonhospital.org

Amanda Burnham
Manager, Marketing & Development
Media Relations Coordinator
Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute
t 812.349.2151
aburnham@mpri.org

Tina McCormick, MBA
Director, PR & Marketing
Bedford Regional Medical Center
t 812.275.1378
tmccormick@brmchealthcare.com

Lori Kendall
Director, Foundation & Marketing
Bloomington Hospital of Orange County
t 812.723.7512
lkendall@bloomingtonhospital.org

New physician joins Gosport Family Practice

Wed, 6 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

Bloomington, Ind. (October 6, 2010) – This week, the Southern Indiana Medical Group welcomed Meredith Lulich, M.D. to its Gosport Family Practice. Dr. Lulich joins John Stearley, M.D. and Nurse Practitioner Peggy Ann Walters at the practice.

Dr. Lulich is board-eligible in internal medicine. She earned a medical degree from the Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H., and completed a residency in internal medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

Visit simg.bloomingtonhospital.org to learn more about the Southern Indiana Medical Group.