Indianapolis children's hospital looks to serve whole state
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis is working to expand its footprint to cover the entire state, trying to convince Indiana residents who now seek options elsewhere that they can get high-level care at home.
Work to expand the 92-year-old hospital's mission began under former President Jeff Sperring. But according to the Indiana Business Journal (http://bit.ly/29rchqA ), new President Matthew Cook's job is to do even more to see that the hospital serves patients in every corner of the state.
Cook says patients in southeast Indiana, for instance, often head to Cincinnati.
"So this is about making sure that patients understand they can receive high-quality care here in Indiana," said Cook, who came to Riley in April.
Keeping patients in Indiana could be challenging. Insurance providers often prefer cheaper outpatient options and many smaller community hospitals are trying to provide more high-level health care.
Riley is part of Indiana University Health and is highly regarded among the country's children's hospitals.
The hospital is building new psychiatric and physical rehabilitation units and plans to soon add comprehensive maternity services, a move IU Health hopes will help lower Indiana's high infant mortality rate, among the highest in the nation.
Under Sperring, Riley had already signed up more than 200 pediatricians as part of its statewide push. Many of them travel the state evaluating tough cases in small clinics and at community hospitals. Their goal has been to send those who need higher-level care to Riley and keep those who could stay in their own communities there to save money.
"You don't want all patients coming to downtown Indianapolis if they don't need to," Cook said. "The model ought to be taking care of patients in the community closest to where they live, if possible."
Trying to become a fully statewide hospital makes sense for Riley, consultant Ed Abel said.
"By and large, their bread and butter is specialty, high-level pediatric care, which is an expensive business," said Abel, director of the health care practice at Indianapolis-based Blue & Co. "There probably isn't enough business in Indianapolis to support their model. That's why it's important for them to build out a statewide model."
The move also will build on the hospital's already strong reputation in much of the state, said Doug Leonard, president of the Indiana Hospital Association.
"Every little town in the state has fundraisers for Riley - a run for Riley, a bike ride for Riley, or something put on by a charity or a foundation," he said. "Riley has helped a lot of kids around the state who were seriously hurt in accidents or trauma or a disease."
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Information from: Indianapolis Business Journal, http://www.ibj.com