Through the 2010 Cardinal Health Foundation E3 Grant Program, more than $1 million in grant funding has been awarded to help United States hospitals, health systems and community health clinics improve the efficiency and quality of care. Forty organizations in 25 states have been awarded grants and Community Health Network is the only Indiana health care provider to receive funding.

Dan Degnan, Community Health Network medication safety officer, will conduct the “Improving Medication Reconciliation Practices at Discharge” research to study improvements that could drive health care effectiveness, efficiency and excellence.

“The pharmacy department at Community Health Network is very excited to receive the recognition, trust and research grant from the Cardinal Health Foundation,” Degnan said. “Safety has always been a priority at Community Health Network and this research funding will help to advance this priority by assessing the best way to prevent medication errors when patients leave the hospital.”

 “We are grateful Cardinal Health Foundation has awarded the funding needed to study ways we can continue our efforts to improve patient safety and accuracy,” said Michele Thomas Dole, Community Health Network Foundation President and CEO. “This study is one more way our network is putting our patients first.”

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $96 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care.

Saturday, July 10, 2010
Noon to 4 p.m.

…It’s a level of health care treatment that’s patient-centered, coordinated and focused on quality of care, ranging from everyday ordinary care to treatment for your most critical needs.

Entertainment: Performance by The Street Beats Group, a drumming and dance troupe. Street Beats performs all over the world, and participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver–performances at 1 and 3 p.m.

Attractions:
- Check out our robot: See da Vinci® surgical robot demonstrations in the educational area on the first floor.

- Explore our services: Booths featuring Wellspring Pharmacy, Community Breast Care, Community Physicians of Indiana and more are located throughout the first floor.

- Tour the tower: Go at your own pace, and feel free to ask us questions along the way.

- Meet some local celebrities:  Boomer and Freddy, the official mascots of the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever – Noon to 2 p.m.
Rowdy, the Indianapolis Indians mascot – 2 to 3 p.m.

- Admire some art: Discover indoor and outdoor creations by Hoosier artists, specially designed for our healing environment.

- See who’s on the air:
Radio Disney – Noon to 1:30 p.m.
WIBC – 2 to 4 p.m.

Refreshments: Visit Bamboo Café on the first floor of the patient tower for a complimentary selection of beverages and light snacks.

The grand opening celebration will feature tours to learn about some of the newest additions to our building:
- State-of-the-art ortho/neuro/spine unit
- Beautiful labor/delivery/recovery/postpartum suites
- Brand-new special care nursery
- Surgical suites with the latest technology, including the da Vinci surgical robot
- Community Health Pavilion, a new model of primary care to meet every family’s needs
- Art, elements from nature and “green” materials to create an environment that promotes healing
Community Heart and Vascular, a new integrated way to care for your heart, resulting in better health

This endowment funds scholarships valued at more than $6,000 and awarded to four Community Health Network employees who are seeking health care degrees with the intent to excel in the field of cardiovascular care. It was established in 2005 from contributions from generous donors who gave in memory of Ken Stanley, M.D., in honor of his medical career and dedication to cardiovascular care. 

Applications were reviewed by a committee of Dr. Stanley’s colleagues, leaders within Community Heart and Vascular and Human Resources personnel.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

• Amy Ambs, ES, an exercise specialist in Cardiac Rehab at The Indiana Heart Hospital who will begin course studies in the accelerated BSN program at Indiana Wesleyan University
• Angela Foley, RN, BSN, an ICU practice facilitator in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at The Indiana Heart Hospital who is preparing for her MSN at Indiana University
• Launa Goodman, RN, the director of case management and cardiovascular data at The Indiana Heart Hospital who is studying for her BSN at Indiana University Kokomo
• Rachel Newkirk, a patient support partner at The Indiana Heart Hospital who is earning a BSN degree at St. Mary’s College 

I’m thrilled to share with you some exciting news! With the support of 780 generous employees, we exceeded our Employee Campaign goal and raised more than $417,000 that will be used to fund important efforts to put patients first and to invest in our employees. Thank you.

You gave because you care and your gifts are investments made to fulfill our network mission. These gifts will support various patient care programs and will fund medical scholarships and education for our employees. And, they will provide support to employees in their most difficult time of need.

While we celebrate the generosity of our employee donors, I know the work is not yet done. Now, more than ever, our patients and employees need the support only our donors can provide.

Here are some ways you can help:
• Celebrate a co-worker’s success with a tribute gift.
• Make a memorial donation in honor of a loved one.
• Contact us to learn more about how you can include Community Health Network Foundation in your will and for complimentary planned giving consultation.
• Encourage your family, friends and colleagues to learn more about the impacts our donors are making by sending them to eCommunity.org.

If you were not able to contribute during the Employee Campaign, I invite you to consider Community Health Network Foundation as a future charitable option. You can make a donation anytime, and for any reason, by visiting eCommunity.org or calling us at 355-GIVE. Your support will make an impact and will be greatly appreciated.

I started my new role with the foundation just 60 days ago and I am so inspired by the generosity of our employee donors. I am sincerely grateful for every gift and for every donor who joined our growing network of employee support. I look forward to working with all of you and hope you contact me with any questions or opportunities you may have.

Best wishes,

Michele Thomas Dole, M.S., CFP®
President and CEO, Community Health Network Foundation

For 35 years, she’s served Community Health Network patients with respect, compassion and a loving heart. As a behavioral health nurse and business leader, she helped build Community’s behavioral care program and become an advocate for mentally-ill patients in central Indiana.

Anita is a true friend to our foundation and has been a generous donor and philanthropic leader for many years, including her recent committment to serve as our interim President and CEO that ended in April. But, with news she shared today, we were again touched by an angel.

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning to celebrate the completed renovation of the new Behavioral Health Pavilion, located on the Community North Campus, Anita announced she has made a $60,000 gift to Community Health Network Foundation to establish an endowment to benefit mentally-ill patients in central Indiana.

Her generous gift will establish the Anita J. Harden Endowment to Benefit the Seriously and Persistently Mentally Ill and will be used to provide education, training and necessities needed to improve the quality of life for central Indiana patients diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness. These programs and services, not normally covered by insurance or publicly-funded sources, will attempt to prevent hospitalization and support the patients’ on-going daily living needs.

“My donation is an investment in creating a way for these patients to live with respect and be treated with compassion as we help them mange their lives,” she said. “This is my opportunity to ensure the patients I love, so many times called the ‘lost population,’ will be cared for in perpetuity.”

Anita is working with us to raise more funds for this endowment and if you are interested in making a gift to support her commitment to these patients, please click here.

Thank you, Anita, for being an angel to so many.

Read the entire press release>>

Here are some reasons donors are giving because they care:

“During the last few months of my husband’s life, we were offered a trip funded by the foundation’s Dale Fleming Fund. Although (my husband) passed away before we were able to take this trip, I am forever grateful for the generosity.”

“I’m doing my part to make our community better.”

“I want to ensure the staff and patients have what they need to give exceptional care and have an exceptional experience.”

“Community is my family.”

“I believe in the mission of the foundation and have employees who have received loans and gifts to further education, pay bills, stop eviction and get a vehicle repaired.”

“I have received tuition reimbursement and assistance from the HELP fund through the foundation. I hope I can help others in need.”

“It’s important to give back, to support the programs the foundation supports.”

“I’m paying it forward!”

“Because it is the right thing to do.”

“Because I want to help those who need it.”

“Because the network has been good to me and my family.”

“I believe in this hospital and the care we provide to our patients and community. I love the place I work and feel good about what we do!”

“I have been helped before and wish to do my part in helping when I can.”

“Community was there for me in a time of need and this is my way of giving back.”

“It’s always good to help those in need and it makes me feel good.”

Why do give? Please share why you give, and why you care.

Donations can be made at eCommunity.org.

Community Health Network Foundation’s board of directors and professional staff are extremely grateful to our donors who generously supported the Community Hospital South expansion. Their gifts to our capital campaign will be used to fund programs for medical excellence and innovation, invest in state-of-the-art medical technologies, ensure the delivery of exceptional patient care and support the creation of a healing environment. With the support of our donors, we are transforming health care.

To share the excitement, and provide you with a preview of what’s happening with the project, we invite you to read the following stories and watch these videos.

Community Health Network opens new health pavilion on south side of Indianapolis

Community Hospital South opens new maternity suites; special care nursery set to open this month

Community Hospital South expansion shows commitment to green building

Community Hospital South opens new operating suites, marking completion of first phase of Next Evolution expansion project

Stay informed and join our celebration:

Follow Community Hospital South on Facebook

Visit eCommunity.com/south for more updates

Read the Community Hospital South expansion fact sheet

The It’s Our Community scholarship program began in 2004 as a way for us to help develop Indiana’s health and life science workforce by encouraging Indiana college students to earn a degree and seek long-term employment in Indiana.

The Community Scholars represent schools located in the Community Hospitals East, North and South markets and were chosen based on academic performance, commitment to pursue higher-education in Indiana, community service and school leadership.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

• Andrew McClatchey, New Palestine High School, who will study biomedical engineering at IUPUI and represents the Community Hospital East market
• Christine Kane, North Central High School, who will study pharmacy at Purdue University and represents the Community Hospital North market
• Cerelle McMullen, Perry Meridian High School, who will study nursing at Indiana University and represents the Community Hospital South market

Michele Thomas Dole, our president and CEO, said $216,000 in It’s Our Community scholarships has been awarded to 72 students during the past seven years.

“We are privileged to invest our resources in the education of these talented students while also making a positive economic impact in our state’s health care industry,” Dole said. “We were honored to facilitate the review of the 89 very qualified scholarship applicants and to select this year’s recipients.”

For questions regarding our 2011 application process, please call 317-355-5261.

Michele Thomas Dole is the new president and CEO of the Community Health Network Foundation. She brings several years of philanthropic experience to this role, most recently serving as a vice president with JP Morgan since 2004. Originally from Columbus, Indiana, Michele currently resides in Fishers with her husband of three years, Robert Dole. Of her local heritage, she says, “My family has been in Indiana for generations, and I’m really proud to be a Hoosier. This is home to me.” Read on to learn more about her deep commitment to philanthropy, as well as her vision for the Community Health Network Foundation.

How do you like to spend your free time? Do you have any hobbies or belong to any organizations?
Volunteering is something I’m really passionate about. I spend my time with the Girl Scouts of the USA, as well as my church, the First Baptist Church of Indianapolis, quite a bit. I help with stewardship mostly, fund raising and working on the finance committee. I have also spent the past three years on the Indiana Pacers Foundation grant committee.

As for hobbies, I play tennis every week, I am a gardener, and my husband and I love to travel. The most recent trip we took was to Aruba. We try to visit a tropical place every year, but we really enjoy our local travels as well. Last year, we went to Nashville, Tennessee for our anniversary.

We also really enjoy spending time with family and friends. We don’t come from big families, but Robert and I have a lot of lifelong friends, and that is something we really cherish.

With your new role at the foundation, what can people in the network expect from your leadership style?
I believe in very open communication. I really expect people to give us feedback for areas of improvement and if we can improve something. Everyone is a stakeholder in that, and they need to make sure that we know those things, so we can help elevate the network.

I also try to help people use the talents they already have and grow upon the things that they want to improve on. I try to get people to get where they want to be. Overall, and probably most importantly, I have a real passion for philanthropy and have spent most of my career in one way or the other involved in philanthropy. That tends to pervade everything that I do.

What is your personal vision for the foundation?
We need to elevate the culture of philanthropy and focus on our fundraising capacity. We have a very deserving mission. One of the things that has become very clear to me is that we serve people in their health care from birth through hospice, and we do it very well and we do it every day. I really want us to focus on using those resources that we already have and elevate that in such a way that it also helps us bring more resources to the foundation, so that we can continue to provide access, provide convenience and make sure more people receive good care in central Indiana.

Among the goals of our strategic plan, one key initiative will be optimizing the foundation’s ability to generate capital. What can we expect to see in how you anticipate this playing out in the future?
I think it’s having the discipline to really focus on core fund raising activity and likewise making sure, on the stewardship side, that we are stewarding our donors well. It is vital that we are, in fact, our mission in action; that we do deliver on our promises. It’s coming in every day with a focus and with a discipline around our activity. It’s my belief that with the network’s strategic plan and the foundation embarking on its own, together, that will bring more clarity to us and those who work with the foundation.

Considering Community’s stance on health care reform, specifically in supplying affordable access to all, what do you see as the foundation’s role in accomplishing this?
We can leverage things that we’ve already done and done well, like the Jane Pauley Community Health Center. If we are able to look to the center as an example of something to evaluate and transfer to other parts of central Indiana, that’s incredible. Not to mention that the Pauley center was such a nice example of integration and partnership, not just Community doing the work alone, but it was us partnering with other outside resources, like the Warren Township schools. Those are things that I think people expect of us. People expect us to be resourceful, they expect us to partner, to not duplicate efforts, and that’s part of our stewardship responsibility and accountability to donors as well.

How can the foundation partner with the network to achieve these strategic goals, and how can employees help?
We, at the foundation, need to be told the great “mission moments” that happen every day throughout the network. How someone’s family was personally affected, how we saved someone’s life, how we changed someone’s life. Since we aren’t in the halls of our hospitals every day, we don’t get to see these things firsthand, but those are the stories and experiences that we transfer and transition in such a way that it helps us be better fund raisers. Many times, those moments are celebrated at the nurses’ station or in a meeting of the physicians, but they’re not always told to us in such a way to really help amplify the story, and those are the things that we really look to. Those grateful patient experiences, to me, are key.

Naturally, we also look to and hope that our employees will participate with their own personal gifts and encourage others out in the community to do likewise.

On the network level, what we at the foundation aim to do, and this is a very clear conviction that I have, is to walk step-in-step with the network. We are not an island. We are here to support the network, to be an integral part of it and to be playing from the same playbook. That, in my mind, as we make decisions at the foundation, will be one of the key gold standards: Does this support the network? Does this run in parallel to what the network, strategically, is trying to accomplish?

Consumer Choice conducts an independent annual survey of 40,000 consumers and business leaders in central Indiana. Consumers and business leaders were asked to rate value and service in select categories. MedCheck clinics were rated tops among all competitors in the urgent care category in Indianapolis.

The recognition fits well with the network’s strategic imperative of improving access for patients, as well as its commitment to provide high-quality care and service. “We are pleased to receive this recognition, and it is a demonstration of our staff’s commitment to improving the experience our customers have with us,” says Jon Fohrer, CEO, ambulatory services. “We are actively moving to a more retail model that offers multiple locations and convenient hours, that gets patients in and out quickly and provides efficient care at affordable prices.”