Ascension St. Vincent Women and Infants Hospital celebrates grand opening & blessing

On Monday, Oct. 28, Ascension St. Vincent celebrated the grand opening of its Women and Infants Hospital, a state-of-the-art, $200 million, eight-story facility located on its main campus at 2001 W. 86th St., Indianapolis. Community leaders and elected officials from across the state and Ascension staff gathered for the celebration and blessing, marking the completion of the two-year project.

The brand-new 268,000 square-foot facility is designed to provide the highest level of care for mothers and infants, especially those facing the most complex and critical conditions, all while keeping families together under one roof.

“The design of this hospital puts families first,” said Julie Schnieders, MSN, CNP, Vice President of Women & Pediatric Services at Ascension St. Vincent. “Our couplet rooms will allow mothers and babies to stay together, even if one or both require intensive care. It’s truly a family-centered approach that enhances both medical care and the emotional well-being of our patients.”

The previous Ascension St. Vincent Women’s Hospital will relocate from Township Line Road in the coming weeks to the new Ascension St. Vincent Women and Infants Hospital on the 86th Street campus, connecting with Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital to ensure seamless continuity of care.

“The Ascension St. Vincent Women and Infants Hospital is a testament to our unwavering dedication to delivering world-class, compassionate care to every patient who walks through our doors,” said Kevin Speer, Senior Vice President, Ascension and Chief Executive Officer, Ascension St. Vincent. “This new facility allows us to offer advanced, specialized care for women and their babies while staying true to our faith-based mission of serving all people, especially those most in need. We are honored to continue this sacred work of caring for the health and well-being of our community.”

The new hospital includes 109 private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) rooms, designed to keep mothers and their babies together, even in cases requiring neonatal intensive care. The facility also offers:

• Six couplet care rooms, where both mother and baby can receive care in the same space, improving bonding and reducing stress for families.
• The largest Level IV NICU in Indiana, providing the highest level of care for newborns.
• Level IV maternal care which is the highest level of care for moms.
• 30 state-of-the-art maternity suites, equipped with the latest technology to ensure safe, high-quality care for mothers and babies.
• Expanded maternal services, including lactation support, and two laboring tubs for a more personalized birthing experience.
• One of the state’s largest pediatric emergency departments – completion and relocation scheduled in 2025.

A complete list of facts and amenities can be found at this link.

Funding for the new hospital came in part from Ascension St. Vincent Foundation’s Care for Tomorrow campaign, chaired by former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. It was announced during the event that donor support has contributed more than $47 million to the campaign to date.

“The opening of the Women and Infants Hospital gives us an opportunity to celebrate the generous community that made this vision possible by supporting the life-changing care that mothers, children and families will receive for generations to come,” Manning said. “Ashley and I extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to the Care for Tomorrow campaign, and look forward to the many ways this new facility will transform healthcare for families across Indiana and beyond.”

The Ascension St. Vincent Women and Infants Hospital is part of a $325 million investment to expand the system’s flagship campus, which includes the construction of the Ascension St. Vincent’s Brain and Spine Hospital (opening in mid-2025). Together, these projects position Ascension St. Vincent as a leader in comprehensive, complex healthcare across Indiana and the Midwest.

About Ascension St. Vincent
Ascension St. Vincent operates 19 hospitals in addition to a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices and clinics serving Indiana, and employs more than 13,000 associates. In Fiscal Year 2024, Ascension St. Vincent provided more than $357 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty throughout the state. Ascension St. Vincent is part of Ascension, one of the nation’s leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, with a Mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2023, Ascension provided $2.2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 134,000 associates, 35,000 affiliated providers and 140 hospitals, serving communities in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Visit ascension.org.