NW Indiana ER & Hospital supplies a quick, quality healthcare option in Hammond

NW Indiana ER & Hospital supplies a quick, quality healthcare option in Hammond

Since the start of the pandemic, healthcare workers have been stared in the face with new challenges and unprecedented volumes of patients seeking COVID-19 testing and treatment in addition to their regular workloads. In the midst of this overflow, healthcare workers from Northwest Indiana and beyond decided to come together to build a hospital where they could serve patients across the Region.

NW Indiana ER & Hospital is a brand-new hospital located in Hammond, IN that opened in June of 2020. Their address is 7904 Cabela Dr., which is located right off the expressway for ease of access. They chose this location because of their goal to alleviate the pressure on other healthcare workers in the area and lessen local ER wait times. In researching healthcare facilities in the Region, they were able to pinpoint a need in the Hammond area as well as the perfect location to set up shop.

“While most of our staff is from the area, all of our doctors come from larger systems,” said Director of Marketing Kevin Frazier. “A couple of them have been to multiple states, a few of them from larger systems in Chicago, and other areas. When we say it’s a privilege to work alongside the great care that’s already been established here in the Region, it’s because we’ve been welcomed by other health systems and providers. We’ve also been trusted by the public with their medical issues. It’s a privilege to practice in this area and feel welcomed.”

Opening in the middle of a pandemic is a good example of the staff’s commitment to serving Hammond and surrounding areas. The hospital is considered a micro, full-fledged hospital with eight beds versus the standard 30 beds and Frazier believes this smaller scale works to their advantage. 

The hospital’s mantra is to supplement the care that is already supplied in the area. They want to put a dent in the average ER wait time within the Region, and their size and resources equip them to get patients in and out of the hospital at a high rate. With their own on-site lab and imaging system, they are able to offer imaging services 24/7 and provide results with a 30-minute turnaround after examination.

“That significantly decreases the wait time for patients,” Frazier said. “A lot of the time when patients are waiting in the ER for X-rays, they’re waiting for the doctor to send the order, the X-ray department to receive the order, and the X-ray department to make sure someone is available to read the X-ray. We can do all that in a much shorter period of time simply because everything is available to our ER doctors. That as well as our moderate-complexity lab works the same way. Instead of waiting for a larger lab to conduct testing, we do it right here.”

On-site X-rays are not the only advantage resulting from NW Indiana ER & Hospital’s modest capacity. Patients are also able to receive medication at a quicker rate than larger hospitals through their pharmaceutical accessibility.

“We have an on-site pharmacy director who approves the dispensing of medications and an institutional pharmacy that accommodates our ER and our in-patient unit, so there’s not going to be any waiting for meds,” Frazier said. “We really think the fact that we’re smaller and have all these capabilities really serves patients well. We’re able to do things much quicker and go through a lot less red tape to get things done.”

Through these resources, NW Indiana ER & Hospital is able to provide ER services within an impressive 30 minutes, but that is not the only benefit of running a small-scale hospital. Frazier said that the staff at the hospital loves what they do and love doing it together. The doctors are selective in their hiring, which has led to their high-quality staff.

“Our staff has developed a very tight-knit company culture that is positive, which spills over into the patient experience as well,” Frazier said. “They can see that our nurses enjoy working with our doctors, that our techs enjoy working with their nurses, and the same all around. Our front desk staff smiles when greeting patients even though they may not have a smile on their faces considering their reason for being there. It’s truly a godsend because it’s not something companies come by every day. There are usually one or two bad apples, or your employees are miserable. I’m proud to say that’s not the case here. Everyone does their job with a smile on their face, and I have yet to see otherwise.”

While the staff plays the largest role in making patients feel welcome, the hospital founders also put special care into selecting furnishings that create a comfortable atmosphere and make patients feel more at home. This helps to alleviate the inevitable stress that accompanies hospital visits and provides them with a better all-around experience.

From the on-site technologies to the friendly, talented staff to the welcoming interior, NW Indiana ER & Hospital is dedicated to providing stellar, timely care to patients from all over the Region.

To learn about NW Indiana ER & Hospital and their services, visit https://www.nwindianaer.com/.