IU Health Foundation Grants More Than $600,000 for 31 Health-Related Projects in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS -- The IU Health Foundation has granted $603,279 for 31 health-related projects across the state as part of an effort to make Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states.

“Regional grants empower IU Health team members to improve the health of individuals, communities and our state,” said Crystal Hinson Miller, IU Health Foundation president and IU Health chief philanthropy officer. “Grants leverage the power of philanthropy and honor donors’ intentions by ensuring that dollars contributed locally fund local needs.”

The awards were made in partnership with local philanthropy councils supporting IU Health and range from $1,900 to $200,000. Projects were selected for their potential to impact the Foundation’s funding priorities of People, Progress and Partnership, as well as their connection to local priorities.

IU Health Methodist and University hospitals, Indianapolis – $200,000

Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Program In-patient Expansion, IU Health University Hospital, Indianapolis – $200,000 for additional hospital beds to support an increase in transplant patients and to help continue to grow the program. The increase in beds will allow patients to remain in the same area of the hospital without having to be moved during their treatment.

East Central Region – $50,000

Home-based Cardiac Rehab Technology, IU Health Ball Memorial, IU Health Blackford and IU Health Jay hospitals – $30,000 for programs that help vulnerable patients complete cardiac rehab sessions at home, when barriers prevent them attending facility-based hospital programs.

Empowering Moms for Better Health, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie – $6,200 to provide pregnant women with home tools to detect and manage hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. Reducing cardiovascular conditions and hypertensive disorders will reduce maternal mortality, which is alarmingly high in Indiana, especially among Black women.

Child Passenger Safety Simulator Training Seats, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie – $4,625 for seats that will be used for education with patients while in their hospital rooms to show proper car seat use for all parents and guardians. While most parents and caregivers are confident that they have correctly installed their child’s car seat, almost half (46%), have been installed incorrectly which increases the risk of injury or death. Providing this training to new parents will reduce the number of incorrectly installed car seats and help keep Hoosier children safe.

Expansion of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Education to Direct Care Nurses, IU Health Ball Memorial, IU Health Blackford and IU Health Jay hospitals – $2,030 to increase the understanding of Evidence based practice (EBP) and how it aligns with nurses’ daily work, providing an even higher level of quality-care to their patients

Walking Path Signage, IU Health Ball Memorial, IU Health Blackford and IU Health Jay hospitals –- $7,145 for directional, motivational and distance signage to be installed on existing walking paths to help promote wellness by connecting with personal goals related to fitness, distance and time.

Indianapolis Suburban Region – $128,006

iPad Project, IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center, IU Health North Hospital, Carmel – $5,000 for iPads with rolling stands for patients undergoing cancer treatment to use while talking with their families while undergoing care in the hospital.

ISR Clinical Education, IU Health North, IU Health Saxony and IU Health West hospitals – $30,000 to develop and implement new clinical education programs that will help attract talented surgical team members to IU Health by offering new advancements in healthcare training.

Fishers Fire Department Virtual Behavioral Health Partnership, IU Health Saxony Hospital, Fishers – $40,000 to provide virtual psychiatric assessments and curbside consultations for individuals experiencing behavior-related incidents.

Naloxone ED Distribution at Discharge, IU Health West Hospital, Avon – $15,000 to provide naloxone kits to patients with addictions and who are at risk of repeat overdoses. In addition to having a better chance of survival when naloxone is readily available, these patients are more likely to participate in a longer-term recovery programs. Providing these kits to patients will help them learn how to effectively manage their addiction.

Indianapolis Suburban Region Wellness Committee Parks Initiative, IU Health North, IU Health Saxony and IU Health West hospitals -- $10,000 to help provide state park passes for team members in the Indianapolis Suburban Region (ISR). The ISR wellness committee will meet to determine the best way to distribute passes to team members in order to purchase the maximum number of passes possible.

Dementia Friends, IU Health Tipton Hospital – $3,901 for activity and comfort items to support patients with dementia and reduce agitation and anger during hospitalizations and emergency department visits.

Echocardiography Tables, IU Health Tipton Hospital – $14,205 for state-of-the-art echocardiography tables that allow for better diagnostic views and improve imaging quality at IU Health Tipton Hospital, helping the team achieve its goal of ensuring 95% of all echocardiograms result without technical error.

Car Seat Program, IU Health Tipton Hospital – $5,000 to provide convertible car seats and booster seats for families in need at IU Health Tipton Hospital, helping to ensure patients of all ages will be safe in the event of a vehicle accident.

Relaxation Room, IU Health Tipton Hospital – $2,400 to equip a room for nursing staff to relax and recharge while on break. When team members are stressed, compassion fatigue can develop and negatively impact the patient experience. Creating this space will result in a healthy work environment, ensuring patients have the highest level of care.

Bears for Kids, IU Health Tipton Hospital – $2,500 for small stuffed animals to give to distressed and frightened children in the emergency department, as well as those undergoing dental surgery.

South Central Region – $103,634

Music and recreational therapy, IU Health Bloomington Hospital – $2,066 to add music therapy and additional art therapy interventions for the Behavioral Health unit team members to use to treat patients with mental health and substance use disorders (SUD). Recreational therapists will use music to foster creative outlets and encourage positive communication for their patients.

Platelet Agitator, IU Health Paoli Hospital – $9,326 for equipment that will allow the obstetrics and gynecology department to obtain platelets immediately while on site, which will improve outcomes related to maternal and infant mortality. Platelets are not quickly available at IU Health Paoli on a 24/7 basis, and it takes a minimum of 2-3 hours to obtain platelets via STAT courier. This new equipment will help improve the lives of moms and babies in rural Indiana by ensuring platelets are always available.

CPR Support, IU Health Bloomington, IU Health Bedford and IU Health Paoli Hospitals – $27,322 for equipment that will be used for public CPR training in Monroe and Lawrence counties. CPR can reduce deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest, which is the greatest cause of death in most Indiana communities. For every minute that CPR is not initiated, survival falls by 7-10%. Providing this training will help save Hoosier lives.

Orange County Schools Telehealth, IU Health Paoli Hospital – $47,920 to expand a telehealth program and that provide virtual behavioral healthcare for more teens in grades sixth - 12th. This funding will support the continuation of school-based services at Orleans Jr./Sr. High School and add services at Paoli High School.

Pharmacist-Led Remote Hypertension Monitoring, IU Health Bloomington Hospital – $17,000 for Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure monitors for patients’ use at home. Results can be transmitted to provider offices, allowing for immediate treatment adjustments. This will help make advancements in telehealth.

West Central Region – $121,638

Dry Needling Specialist Certification, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $6,028 to expand physical therapy services in dry needling, a technique used to relieve patients’ pain and increased function.

Immittance Machine, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $10,565 for additional testing equipment in the audiology department, reducing wait time and enhancing patient experience.

Certification Resource Library, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $2,205 for additional education materials for nurses pursuing certifications. When IU Health nurses participate in advanced trainings, they enhance their clinical knowledge, which allows them to administer an even higher quality of care to our patients.

Vein Viewer Vision 2 Imaging System, IU Health White Memorial Hospital, Monticello – $14,305 for additional equipment that helps start intravenous catheters in patients, providing accurate and safe vein visualization for clinicians and helping to increase patient comfort.

CCRN Education for Certification, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $3,207 to provide education materials helping nurses earn a certification for providing direct beside care to acute and/or critically ill adult patients.

Faces Foundation/PHIL Award, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $2,000 to support respiratory therapists through the Family And Caregiver Education & Support (FACES) Foundation.

Halo Bassinets, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $70,000 for state-of-the-art bassinets that promote safe sleep habits for newborn babies and reduced physical stress to new mothers recovering from childbirth.

Women’s Health Training, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $6,871 for a physical therapist to complete courses in women's health to provide specialized physical therapy services for pelvic floor rehab and pregnancy- and post-partum-related women's health issues.

IV Poles, IU Health White Memorial Hospital, Monticello – $1,957 for new IV stands and poles that are more ergonomically sound for both patients and providers easier for patients and providers to manipulate.

Intensive Care Unit Rounding Cart, IU Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette – $4,500 for a state-of-the-art Envoy Workstation that will accommodate the bedside sharing of scans and test results, while also allowing staff to enter a treatment plan instantly.

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About Indiana University Health Foundation

The mission of IU Health Foundation is to increase the role of philanthropy to help IU Health achieve its goal of making Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states. IU Health Foundation improves the health of individuals, communities and the state by focusing its philanthropy on people, progress and partnerships. To learn more, visit iuhealthfoundation.org.

About Indiana University Health

Named among the "Best Hospitals in America" by U.S. News & World Report for 23 consecutive years, Indiana University Health is dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent, patient-centered care. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation's leading medical schools – gives our highly skilled physicians access to innovative treatments using the latest research and technology. To learn more, visit iuhealth.org.

Media contact: Jama L. Pryor, Director, Philanthropy Communications, jlpryor@iuhealth.org, 317.962.4537