The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA), in partnership with Governor Eric J. Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, last Wednesday recognized Indiana birthing hospitals for their commitment to infant and maternal health at IHA’s second annual INspire Hospital of Distinction recognition program.
INspire, funded by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH)’s Safety PIN grant, was developed to implement the delivery of best practice care for Hoosier moms and babies and recognize hospitals for excellence in addressing key drivers of infant and maternal health.
“Indiana’s birthing hospitals are rightfully being celebrated today for the great strides they are making that directly impact the lives of Hoosier moms and babies,” Gov. Holcomb said. “With their combination of passion and determination, together we will continue this important work to save lives and give every Hoosier newborn the best opportunity ahead.”
“The past 19 months have been incredibly challenging for our state, and our hospitals have been on the front lines of so many of those challenges,” Dr. Box said. “At a time where all of our focus has seemingly been on the COVID-19 pandemic, it is heartening to see the continued commitment to ensuring our mothers and babies have the best start possible.”
Box noted that among many successes despite the pandemic, IDOH rolled out My Healthy Baby, the state’s OB navigator home visiting program, to 22 counties and is on track to add another 23 counties this year.
“Indiana hospitals are grateful for the leadership of Gov. Holcomb and Dr. Box and are thrilled to be a partner in Indiana’s effort to reduce infant mortality,” said IHA President Brian Tabor. “We look forward to building on the progress we’ve made.”
Hospital award recipients earned either an INspire Hospital of Distinction or Category of Excellence recognition based on their performance in six key areas, including infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, tobacco prevention and cessation, perinatal substance use, obstetric hemorrhage, and maternal hypertension. A list of award recipients and their recognition can be found here.
About Indiana Hospital Association
The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) serves as the professional trade association for more than 170 acute care, critical access, behavioral health, and other specialized hospitals in Indiana. IHA advocates on behalf of its members in Indiana’s General Assembly, U.S. Congress, and with multiple regulatory agencies at the state and federal levels. Dedicated to improving quality, patient safety, and Hoosiers’ health status, IHA holds numerous grants and facilitates collaboration among hospitals to improve outcomes. IHA also provides members with the data analytics that they need to ensure access to quality, cost-effective health care services across the state of Indiana. To learn more about IHA, visit IHAconnect.org.