For healthcare organizations, the pandemic has demonstrated how interconnected we all are, the impact each one of us can have and the benefit of working together for a common cause. Northwest Health has completed its 2020 Community Impact report, demonstrating how it has remained steadfast in its commitment to deliver safe, quality healthcare services to Northwest Indiana.
The arc of life is always present in a hospital, but its frailty has been very clear the past year. Well more than a half million patients received the medical care they needed at Northwest Health. More than 1,900 babies took their first breaths in one of its Birthing & Family Care units and more than 70,000 walked away in better shape than when they came in – with less pain following a joint replacement, a heart beating in rhythm after receiving a pacemaker or open heart surgery, or a severe wound treated after a trip to one of the Northwest Health Emergency Departments.
In addition, the staff at the three Northwest Health hospitals cheered hundreds of patients who left for home after beating COVID-19. But also, caregivers helped patients transition at the end of life and comforted the loved ones who grieve for their loss.
“Helping people get well and live healthier is rewarding work, and we are grateful for the trust every patient places in us,” said Ashley Dickinson, CEO of Northwest Health. “And we feel the support of the community as you’ve extended thanks and encouragement through meals, first responder parades, and sweet thank you cards.”
Led by local administration and advisory boards of community leaders and physicians, Northwest Health has put resources toward increased medical services, facilities and technologies that are important to our patients, including a new hospital that opened in La Porte last year. The healthcare system also enhanced access to care by recruiting 23 new providers to Northwest Indiana in 2020 alone. In addition to in-person office visits, physicians in Northwest Medical Group are offering telehealth visits, making it easier than ever to see a doctor when you’re in the comfort of home.
Dickinson shared, “We value our relationship with the communities in Northwest Indiana and our impact is felt in many ways. The more than $37 million in taxes we paid last year support critical infrastructure such as first responders, schools and roads. Wages and benefits for our provider team generate buying power for local goods and services and help drive the local economy. And we deliver care for our most vulnerable residents, last year providing more than $51 million of charity and uncompensated care.”
Hope is on the horizon as COVID-19 vaccinations are underway and Northwest Health looks forward to a time when we can all gather again. Until then, they continue to encourage safe practices – wear a mask or face covering, maintain social distancing and regularly wash your hands.
