Health care has undergone a major transformation in the last two decades in how operations are managed and patient care is delivered. Driving that change is a combination of factors that have uniquely reshaped the industry from just a decade ago.
Health care organizations and providers have been learning to leverage rapidly advancing technology, introducing precision medicine, shifting to telemedicine, increasing a focus on public and mental health strategies, and handling a changing workforce dynamic. Health care professionals have also been moving to a more consumer-centric business model, which responds to increased demands in areas such as accessibility and price transparency. According to surveys conducted by McKinsey & Company across 2023 and 2024, the consumers of today are more active in their health care journeys and are seeking more engagement with health care organizations.
Successfully navigating a consistently evolving environment is key in ensuring that operations are efficient and patient care is optimized. How well are Indiana health care organizations doing to achieve that success? We asked health care professionals to weigh in by answering the question:
Where Does Indiana Excel in Health Care?
Here are their answers:
Jason Troutwine
Vice President/Reid Foundation President
Reid Health
Indiana excels in health care with nationally recognized medical institutions, cutting-edge technology, and advanced specialty care serving both urban and rural communities.
Reid Health is dedicated to helping our communities thrive by providing access to high-quality specialized care and advanced treatments. As a Rural Referral Center and the only community hospital in the area, we serve many patients where accessing health care can be challenging.
To address these challenges, we’re investing in innovative technologies like Abridge, an AI-powered clinical documentation tool. Abridge is making a positive difference in interactions and workflow. With this resource, providers can respond to patients faster and better engage with their patients during visits by reducing notetaking.
Reid has been recognized by Healthgrades as one of America's 250 Best Hospitals for overall clinical performance. Alongside our nationally recognized specialties and patient-centered approach, we implement Abridge and other technological innovations to reinforce our commitment to high-quality care and better patient outcomes.
Dr. Ray Dusman
President of Physician and Clinical Enterprise
Parkview Health
There are several areas in which Indiana excels in health care. I’d like to highlight a few that come to mind as having the greatest impact on patients and communities.
Medical education and post-graduate training
Indiana has two excellent medical schools with unique distinctions, IU being the largest in the country and Marian University being Indiana’s first and only osteopathic school, focusing on professions in primary care. Both schools have statewide impact and partner with hospitals and health systems to provide classroom and clinical bedside instruction.
There is a national shortage of physicians, which is projected to continue until the mid-2030s. Despite several programs in the state, the constraint is mostly related to post-graduate training programs and a lack of capacity to meet the manpower needs.
At Parkview Health, we launched our own graduate medical education program in 2022 to bolster the talent pipeline, starting with internal medicine and general surgery residencies. We have expanded our programs since then, having added a transitional year program, the state’s second physical medicine and rehabilitation program, the state’s third OB/GYN program, and in 2026, both family medicine and psychiatry residency programs. As of July 2025, we will have 86 residents throughout Parkview Health.
Patient access, especially in rural communities
Rather than following a national trend of hospitals closing due to rural challenges, our state also excels at strengthening access to care and allowing hospitals to continue serving as key economic centers for their communities. Parkview Health, for example, has had the privilege of partnering with several rural community hospitals throughout northeast Indiana (and northwest Ohio) that sought assistance in continuing care in their communities.
Patient and Co-worker Safety and Quality
Foundational to care at any hospital or health system is a focus on safety and quality, another area where the state excels. At Parkview Health, we continually work to strengthen our co-worker and patient safety programs and are pleased to have been recognized with straight ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grades by The Leapfrog Group at all eligible facilities.
Through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, we have also shared our expertise in virtual nursing and diabetes population health with other organizations and engaged in improvement networks in patient and workforce safety and health equity.
Research and Innovation
Finally, Indiana excels in research and innovation. The Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation, for example, has been a catalyst for bringing innovative care models, clinical trials, products and treatments to the state. We recently announced our launch of precision genomics, tailoring treatments and preventive strategies based on a person’s DNA, with the goal of targeting the right treatment for the right patient at the right time.
Dennis Murphy
President & CEO
Indiana University Health
Indiana has a world-class life sciences ecosystem – from drug and medical device manufacturing to health care systems like ours – and we all realize that we have work to do to become a healthier state. So, one of our strengths is the way systems like IU Health are joining forces with like-minded organizations to move the needle on public health. From academic research to nonprofit partnerships to workforce training initiatives, we are advancing health care in ways that extend far beyond the walls of a hospital.
Caitlin Leahy
Senior Vice President
Franciscan Health Foundation
One area where Indiana excels in health care is in the services provided by nonprofit health care systems like Franciscan Health. As a nonprofit Catholic health care ministry, Franciscan’s mission-driven approach is focused on our commitment to serve all, especially the most vulnerable.
Our Community Health Improvement Plan allows Franciscan Health to take health care beyond hospital walls, focusing on prevention, education and partnerships.
The core focus areas of the plan are healthy bodies, connections, minds and communities. The healthy bodies initiative focuses on addressing obesity, chronic disease and food insecurity through the Fresh Start Market food pantries and Mobile Markets, which provide fresh food while teaching nutrition and cooking skills for long-term self-sufficiency. Our tobacco prevention and cessation programs are also part of the plan, helping participants reduce preventable diseases.
The healthy connections component seeks to strengthen families and social wellbeing. Franciscan’s Prenatal Assistance Program, for example, ensures a healthy start for mothers and their babies, along with our Diaper Depots, which provide essential care items. A key component is social needs navigation, which helps connect participants with critical resources to help them and their families thrive.
The healthy minds initiative addresses mental health and resilience through trauma-informed care practices, mindfulness programs, suicide prevention and mental health training. We’re also investing in the future of health care and local well-being through the healthy communities component. One aspect is the North Central Indiana Health Education Center, which provides training and career exploration for health care professionals. Another is Walk with a Doc, which encourages physical activity and community engagement.
All of these programs are strengthening our communities thanks to partnerships, generous donors and state and local funding. We thank all of those who make these programs possible and allow us to live our Franciscan values through our service to our communities, especially our most vulnerable neighbors.
Michelle Thompson
Vice President of Medical Affairs, Memorial Hospital
Beacon Health System
I am a proud Indiana physician, a fourth-generation graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, and I completed my residency in Indiana. I have the privilege of practicing in South Bend and am very honored to work alongside numerous outstanding physicians who provide excellent care to our patients every day.
However, despite our strengths, we recognize that there is still much work to be done. Many Hoosiers continue to face barriers in accessing health care. Indiana ranks in the bottom quartile for infant mortality, has the 10th highest adult obesity rate, and consistently has a higher percentage of adult smokers compared to other states.
All Hoosiers need and deserve better access to high-quality, accessible care. With support from businesses, legislators, and others, I am confident we can continue to improve the health of Hoosiers across the state.
Alan Kumar, MD
Chief Operating Officer
Powers Health
With four hospitals – Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and Powers Health Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point – and more than 50 facilities, Powers Health continues to invest resources by building new facilities and expanding comprehensive medical services. These projects reflect our promise to a growing Northwest Indiana:
Powers Health offers a 24/7 Emergency Department at St. Mary Medical Center Outpatient Center, 3800 St. Mary Drive, in Valparaiso.
A state-of-the-art Cancer Care Center – in collaboration with Northwest Cancer Centers and located in Crown Point – is the cornerstone for oncology care in Northwest Indiana.
The Joint & Spine Center at Powers Health – in partnership with Orthopedics Specialists of Northwest Indiana and located in Crown Point –serves as a premier regional destination for patients seeking exceptional orthopedic care.
Powers Health is one of the busiest health care systems in the Chicagoland area for comprehensive stroke and structural heart and valve treatment. The only Comprehensive Stroke Center in Northwest Indiana, located at Community Hospital in Munster, has seen a rise in transfers since its creation, from 244 in 2019 to more than 1,000 in 2024. And, the Powers Health Structural Heart and Valve team, which has extensive experience with minimally invasive cardiac procedures, performed the first transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) procedure in Indiana. This procedure helps improve the quality of life in heart patients without the need for open heart surgery.
James Leonard, D.O., FACEP
Chief Executive Officer
Northwest Health - Porter
Medical education is the foundation of long-term community health and area where Indiana excels. A recent Association of American Medical Colleges report found that 68% of physicians who completed both medical school and residence in Indiana stayed in the state to practice. That’s well above the national median of 47.4%.
With one of the strongest physician retention rates in the country, Indiana continues to grow a stable, skilled medical workforce that meets the needs of patients statewide.
Indiana also performs strongly in several key areas that reflect its commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care across the state. Indiana ranks in the top one-third of states for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services patient safety indicators, performing better than many of our neighboring states at keeping patients safe and delivering quality care.
One other area of excellence is our state’s dedication to reducing maternal and infant mortality across the state. The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) is committed to improving maternal and infant health outcomes and has enlisted every hospital in Indiana to tackle this issue head-on. Through IHA’s work and the dedication of all hospitals across the state, we’re making real progress toward our goal of improving the lives of pregnant moms and infants. It’s a shared effort to focus on building healthier futures for every Hoosier family.
Lauren Hull
Chief Administrative Officer, Northwest Indiana
UChicago Medicine
Indiana Excels in health care because of its depth and breadth of services. There are a lot of health systems in Indiana, and they provide great quality care to the communities they serve and continue to expand access points so that patients don’t have to travel far for services. Having opened a facility in Crown Point, Indiana in April 2024, we are happy to be a part of health care in Indiana.
