Thursday, March 13, 2025
3/13/2025
Project Title: Eskenazi Health Center Bridging Barriers & Improving Community Health Initiative Tragically, seven Haitian mothers from the Far Eastside neighborhood of Indianapolis recently experienced still births. Most of these women received little or no prenatal care, had acute perinatal needs, had significant language barriers, and were at increased risk for poor perinatal mental health outcomes. Even more importantly, Haitian women have some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world with 480 deaths per 100,000 live births annually. Research demonstrates that a mother who experiences a stillbirth or the loss of their infant will have some kind of mental health complication. This number is higher than the national average for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. This reality fuels the work of the dedicated professionals at Eskenazi Health Center (H80CS25436). The Health & Hospital Corporation d/b/a Eskenazi Health Center (EHC) has experienced prolific growth in serving Haitian patients. In calendar year 2023, EHC served 2,732 Haitian patients, which demonstrates a 60% increase from the 1,643 Haitian patients served in 2022. Currently, for the 2024 calendar year, EHC has served 2,286 Haitian patients, which is 82% ahead of the 2023 patient volume. This expansive growth in the Haitian patient population necessitates a call to action to expand family-friendly hours at Eskenazi Health Center locations to continue to meet our escalating patient needs. In addition to the Haitian population growth, EHC continues to set record volumes of individual-unduplicated patients as reported in the 2023 Uniform Data System submission. In calendar year 2023, EHC served 105,847 unduplicated patients, a 7% growth from 2022. This patient volume growth was also reflected in the 341,730 patient visits, which was 17,943 (6%) more patient visits than in 2022. This growth was witnessed in the Michael & Susan Smith Emergency Department (ED) at the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital, where the ED saw 5,780 (or 6%) more visits in 2023 compared to 2022. The expansion of primary care services into more family friendly hours aims to decrease unnecessary use of the ED for non-urgent needs. Overall, the patient growth emphasizes the need to expand current services to continue to best serve the community. With funding from HRSA’s Expanded Hours Grant Opportunity, EHC seeks to launch the Bridging Barriers and Improving Community Health Initiative. This initiative begins with a concerted effort to expand operational hours weekly at two EHC locations in Indianapolis: Eskenazi Health Center Grassy Creek and Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street. The initiative will expand access to General Primary Care, OB/GYN, and Mental Health services, making them available on weeknights and weekends. Eskenazi Health Center will also expand other resources to meet the needs of patients such as translation support and Community Health Workers. EHC will provide cultural sensitivity training so that all team members can best serve all patients. Eskenazi Health Center has previously been successful in expanding operations into nearly 100 family-friendly hours on a weekly basis across 13 sites of care. EHC will utilize this knowledge to ensure timely delivery of all goals and objectives and minimize interruption to patient care.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).