MISSION:

The Richard L. Roudebush Indianapolis VA Medical Center, located 2 miles northwest of the heart of downtown Indianapolis, has been serving Indiana Veterans since 1932. As Indiana's tertiary care facility, Indianapolis VA Medical Center receives referrals from VA facilities at Ft. Wayne and Marion, Indiana, and from nearby Danville, Illinois. Indianapolis VA Medical Center provides acute inpatient medical, surgical, psychiatric, neurological, and rehabilitation care, as well as both primary and specialized outpatient services. Some noteworthy specialized services include comprehensive cardiac care, radiation oncology treatment and community based extended care. Indianapolis VA Medical Center is aggressively utilizing emerging technology in the tele-home care and tele-disease management arenas. The medical center was selected as the site for the Veterans in Partnership VISN 11 Polytrauma Network Site and is currently planning the opening of that Center as ongoing support to the returning veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF).

The medical center operates two Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC's) located in Bloomington, Indiana and Terre Haute, Indiana. The more than 47,000 patients treated by the Indianapolis VA Medical Center require almost 410,000 outpatient visits and over 7,100 inpatient episodes of care yearly. The medical center conducts extensive research and training programs. With annual research support exceeding $11.8 million, staff members are conducting studies in such areas as diabetes, alcoholism, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, pulmonary diseases, cancer and other areas for veteran health. The Medical Center has nine sharing agreements with the Department of Defense and plays a key role in disaster preparedness as a federal designated coordinating center for National Disaster Medical System. An active TRICARE/ CHAMPUS Clinic Program is also available that provides care for active duty military service members, retirees and their dependents.

AFFILIATIONS:

The Indianapolis VA Medical Center has an active affiliation with the Indiana University School of Medicine. At any time, 100 post-graduate physician residents and fellows are pursuing clinical training in the Indianapolis VA Medical Center and delivering veteran care under the supervision of VA physicians who are concurrently faculty of the Indiana University School of Medicine. This supervised clinical experience for licensed physicians is offered in 22 accredited medical specialties. There are also nursing student affiliations with the Indiana University School of Nursing as well as education arrangements with six other universities in Indiana and Kentucky involving dentistry, pharmacy, social work, allied health, and psychology.

CARES:

The medical center participated actively in the CARES process. Through the process, space deficits were identified primarily in the outpatient arena. Plans to remedy this include addition of space at the medical center for replacement of inpatient wards, backfilled with outpatient space as well as addition of outpatient space through the minor construction program. Another planning initiative that has been accepted by the Secretary is the addition of a CBOC in Martinsville, Indiana to assist in meeting access criteria.

CONSTRUCTION:

The main part of the current medical center was opened in 1952, with about 450,000 square feet. There have been two major additions since then, in 1981 and 1994, bringing the total square footage of the medical center to approximately 1,000,000 square feet today. The 1981 addition is devoted to Dental, Dialysis and Research. The 1994 addition included ambulatory care clinics, new operating rooms, new intensive care units, the main clinical laboratory and education space.

The medical center received a $27 million major construction approval to construct two additional floors on the clinical addition. This will replace four current inpatient wards as well as the inpatient pharmacy. This addition will provide appropriate patient privacy and bath facilities as well as ensure adequate isolation capabilities. Construction has begun for this project and is expected to take thirty months. Following completion of the project and activation, the vacated wards will be renovated during Phase II to house outpatient mental health. The medical center has recently started construction of a minor project for 12,000 square feet of additional outpatient space and associated backfill.

In addition to construction, significant capital expenditures are devoted to obtaining and maintaining medical equipment. The total value of equipment in the medical center is approximately $63,000,000. Recent equipment purchases include a new cardiac cath lab and replacement MRI.

LABOR RELATIONS:

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 609 represents all professional employees and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 551 represents all non-professional employees at this medical center.

RESEARCH:

The Indianapolis VA Medical Center houses a mid-sized research and development program. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2004, the medical center research program had a budget of $11.8 million. Research topics included stroke, cholesterol, and renal disease. The Health Services Research and Development Service was designated as a Center of Excellence on Implementing Evidence Based Practice. With the newly funded Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) our Health Services research will focus on information management for patient centered treatment. The medical center is poised to activate new research space in cooperation with Indiana University School of Medicine that includes bio-safety level 3 lab space.

PATIENT SATISFACTION:

Regarding patient satisfaction, in FY 2005, 81% of new patients believe they get an appointment when they want one as do 90% of established patients which is an increase over last year. Data collection for FY 2006 has begun, but the sample size was insufficient to calculate the mean. In FY 2006, waiting 20 minutes or less for the report is reported by 72% of outpatients, a significant increase. Overall patient satisfaction is best measured by the percentage of patients reporting their overall satisfaction as very good or excellent. Of ambulatory care patients, 77% report this and 70% of inpatients rate their care as very good or excellent.

LOCAL ISSUES:

On September 12, 1996, a $9.8 million Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) Trust Fund (1996-i) was established by the State of Indiana for the Department of Veterans Affairs in return for a 35-year lease of the Cold Spring Road Division at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana. In the past, the Trust Fund has expended $1.2 million for cardiology equipment, $600,000 for the Surgical and Computer systems, and $823,660 for the design of the new 7th and 8th floor major construction project. These purchases total $2,623,660. This allowed several enhancements at no expense to taxpayers. Additionally, all these expended funds came from this interest-bearing Trust without disturbing the original principal.

Plans for expenditure of the Trust funds have been approved. A commitment has been made to spend $5.4 million to cover the activation costs for the 7th/8th floor major construction project underway at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center. A Parking Enhanced Use Lease project is another critical project that will provide 500 additional parking spaces adjacent to the ambulatory care entrance for patients, visitors, and staff. Planning discussions have been underway with Indiana University and the State of Indiana for the joint demolition of the vacated LaRue Carter Memorial Hospital accompanied with the backfill of needed parking for both parties on this 8-acre parcel. VISN 11 plans to obligate $3.9 million of the Trust Fund towards this multi-year, mutually beneficial project.

AUTHORIZED BEDS

170 Authorized

TYPE OF FACILITY

Tertiary Care

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Cardiac Surgery
Cardiac Catheterization
Radiation/Oncology
New Intensive Care Units
Champus/DOD Clinic
OEF/OIF
Polytrauma Center
Inpatient Hemodialysis Center
Home Dialysis Program
Pulmonary Function Laboratory
Audiology and Speech Pathology
Alcohol and Drug Dependency Treatment (outpatient)
Home Based Primary Care
Mental Hygiene Clinic
Nuclear Medicine Services
Orthopedic Services
Computerized Tomography/PET/MRI
Women Veterans
Homeless Program/HCMI Program
Persian Gulf Primary Care Clinic
PT, OT, KT & RT Services
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Prosthetics & Sensory Aids
Electron Microscopy
Hoptel
Laser Treatment/Therapy