Four Lutheran Health Network hospitals have been recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA), in partnership with Governor Eric J. Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, for their commitment to infant and maternal health at the first annual INspire Hospital of Distinction recognition program.
INspire, funded by the Indiana Department of Health’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.
Lutheran Hospital, Dupont Hospital, Bluffton Regional Medical Center and Kosciusko
Community Hospital earned INspire Hospital of Distinction recognition by meeting the criteria in four or five of the 2020 categories, which include infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, tobacco prevention and cessation, perinatal substance use, and obstetric hemorrhage.
“It is our privilege to work with Gov. Holcomb, Dr. Box and so many others to improve the
health of women and children in our community and across Indiana. We are honored that four of our hospitals received the highest level of recognition and we will continue our work in this important area,” said Natalie Seaber, RN, MHA, CNML, Regional Chief Nursing Officer, Lutheran Health Network.
“Indiana’s birthing hospitals are critical partners as we work to drive down infant mortality,”
Gov. Holcomb said. “Thanks to their efforts, Indiana’s infant mortality rate has fallen to the lowest level in state recorded history. Together we will continue this important work to save even more lives and give every Hoosier newborn the best opportunity ahead.”
“I am inspired by the work and passion our birthing hospitals bring to make sure all babies
born in Indiana have the best start at life,” Dr. Box said. “Reducing infant and maternal mortality requires a multi-pronged approach over the course of many years to see impactful change. We’re seeing that change happen, but we can’t stop now. We must continue to adopt best practices so that we can celebrate more first birthdays in Indiana.”
Box noted that among many successes, Indiana has seen a nearly 30 percent drop in
Indiana’s black infant mortality rate in just two years.
“Indiana hospitals are grateful for the leadership of Governor Holcomb and Dr. Box and are
thrilled to be a partner in Indiana’s successful effort to reduce infant mortality,” said IHA President Brian Tabor. “We look forward to building on the progress we’ve made and achieving Governor Holcomb’s goal for Indiana to have the lowest rate of infant mortality in the Midwest by 2024.”
Indiana Hospital Association serves as the professional trade association for more than 170
acute care, critical access, behavioral health, and other specialized hospitals in Indiana.
