BEDFORD—IU Health Bedford Hospital is proud to be recognized by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) with its Community Star Award alongside Indiana Health Centers (IHC) and Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC). In 2024, 41 of these awards were given across the United States, with only one in Indiana.
NOSORH works to help improve access and quality of health care for nearly 61 million rural Americans, and this recognition celebrates the team effort of these three Indiana organizations, which came together to ensure this community had the care it needed when the only other hospital located in Bedford announced it would close in December 2022.
“Rural health is a big part of what IU Health focuses on,” said Larry Bailey, IU Health South Central Region Critical Access Chief Operating Officer. “The Bedford team really stepped u with our partnering organizations to best address the ramifications of this change.”
In particular, IU Health Bedford Hospital teams knew they would need to take on additional patient volume and meet increased demand. Some of their efforts included adding provider hours, expanding the Emergency department, and adding an obstetric nurse navigator program manager to help pregnant individuals in the area.
“When our organizations first came together, we recognized it was going to take a team effort to shoulder the responsibility of caring for this community after the other hospital closed its doors,” said Bailey. “There wasn’t competition or conflict, it was a group effort to see how each of our organizations could put our best foot forward to fill this space and reduce the negative impact as much as possible.”
Ann Lundy, CEO, IHC, said, “We are profoundly honored to accept this national recognition, but the true recipients of this award are the resilient residents of Lawrence County and Bedford, IN. Their strength and unwavering spirit fuel our mission to deliver high-quality, affordable, and equitable healthcare for all. This award stands as a testament to our enduring commitment to ensure that every individual—no matter where they live—has access to the care they rightfully deserve.”
“When thousands of people were at risk of losing their primary care providers and obstetrics care, this collaborative team effort was crucial in preserving local health care,” said Yolanda Yoder, MD, Chief Medical Officer, SICHC. “We are so grateful to the community partners and SICHC’s providers and staff who stepped up to the challenging task of ensuring health care access during that difficult time.”
