Referring Physicians and the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Heart Center

Referring pediatricians and primary care physicians, and often perinatologists, are effectively integrated into each patient's treatment team from initial consultation to release. A nurse practitioner or physician contacts each referring physician daily with reports on treatment, challenges and diagnosis, and provides a direct line to the lead cardiologist or surgeon. A comprehensive discharge summary is created and then forwarded to the primary care physician promptly at discharge.

The goal is to expand the treatment team so that every relevant clinician is informed, involved and in a position to contribute. Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health specialists are available to any referring physician and any family who wishes to have a child evaluated, even if it's only for peace of mind.

Outpatient Care

Outpatient services for a broad spectrum of Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Outpatient Center specialists, including the pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, are offered in the Riley Outpatient Center at IU Health. Children with suspected or proven cardiac disease, including those recovering from surgery, require clinical services outside the scope of an acute hospital unit.

The excellent cardiovascular care provided by Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health's team of heart specialists isn't limited to the four walls of the hospital. Satellite subspecialty outpatient clinic locations are available throughout Indiana:

• Southern Indiana Pediatrics, Bloomington
• Columbus Pediatric Associates, Columbus
• Deaconess Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Children's Services, Evansville
• Pediatric Associates at Lutheran Hospital
  Medical Office Building, Fort Wayne
• Fort Wayne Pediatrics, Fort Wayne
• North Central Pediatrics, Kokomo
• Cardinal Health System Pediatrics, Muncie
• Ohio Valley Heart Center, Evansville
• Pediatric and Internal Medicine Center, Richmond
• St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, South Bend
• St. Francis Pediatric Cardiac Clinic, Greenwood
• AP & S Clinic, Terre Haute
• Decatur County Memorial Hospital, Greensburg
• IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette
• IU Health North Medical Offices, Carmel

Philanthropic Care

While Riley at IU Health cares for children from every county in Indiana, Hoosiers aren't the only children who benefit from the hospital's philanthropy. Riley at IU Health partners with various community, national and international agencies to provide unparalleled care to not only the kids who need it most, but also those who may not be able to receive or afford that level of care close to home.

As a partner in the Rotary Service Club's Gift of Life program, Riley at IU Health Heart Center cardiologists and surgeons have provided treatment to children from as far away as Jordan, Russia, China, Nigeria, Honduras and Afghanistan.

Higher Volume Better Outcomes

The connection between higher patient and procedure volumes and improved outcomes is clear. There is simply no substitute for experience.

Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health and the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health Heart Center contain a clinical infrastructure that continues to deliver improved outcomes through increased volumes, and a significantly lower cardiac mortality rate than the national average for pediatric hospitals despite our much greater mix of high-complexity cases.

Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health

• Opened in 1924
• Received the American Nurses Association (ANA) National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) Award for outstanding nursing quality in the pediatric hospital category.
• Has one of the highest numbers of pediatric intensive care beds in the U.S.
• Houses one of the nation's largest pediatric residency programs and the only training site in Indiana
• Ten specialty programs ranked among the top 30 children's hospitals in the nation by U.S.News & World Report
• Provides care for more than 231,500 patient visits each year
• Is supported by two Ronald McDonald houses
• Integrates and supports family-centered care by bringing in the perspectives of patients and families directly into the planning, delivery and evaluation of health care