By IU Health Senior Journalist, TJ Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org

At a first meeting, Braylei Shiriaev is like most 7-year-old girls. She likes pinks and purples, stuffed animals and unicorns. In fact, she is very fond of unicorns because she believes they are magical.

When Braylei became a patient at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, her treatments for radiation therapy were delivered at a nearby adult facility – IU Health University Hospital. Radiation therapy is specialized and involves expensive equipment. Some patients may require anesthesia so it’s all located in the same place – at an IU Health adult academic center location.

Patients and families can have regular appointments at Riley Hospital and stay at the Ronald McDonald House if necessary. When they come for their treatments – which are generally consecutive days – they take an enclosed walkway to University Hospital.

“They come from all over because there is no other facility that offers this. We have patients from all over the state,” said Jodi Blevins, Radiation Oncology Manager.

And the treatment goes way beyond machines. In fact, for some younger patients the machines can be scary. That’s why unicorns are important. So are sports heroes and Disney characters.

A team of radiation therapists helps calm younger patients by tapping into their interests. The therapy requires patients to remain very still so they receive the smallest dose targeted at a specific area. To help with that process, team members design personalized immobilization masks for the patients.

“There are a lot of people on the team who take the masks home to decorate them on their own time,” said Blevins. For Braylei, that mask was a unicorn. She uses the same mask for every treatment to help hold her still when receiving radiation therapy for a brain tumor. The mask is also used as a mapping tool so the markings aren’t on her face and head.

Like many of the young patients, Braylei passes the time during radiation by watching a movie on an Avatar system. The special design was created with the help of the IU Health 3D Innovations lab.

On an initial visit, team members talk to the patients and learn their likes and interests. One therapist, Jamie Copp dressed in a unicorn costume. Others, including Copp, Brandon Alyea, Tracy Durcholz, and Jenna Snyder have worn tiaras for their patients.

“Our team goes above and beyond for these pediatric cases,” said Blevins. “They lend support to both the kiddos and their parents to help make something that is scary more manageable.”

By IU Health Senior Journalist, TJ Banes, tender1@iuhealth.org

From her office window, Rev. Leah Gunning Francis has a bird’s eye view of a city that motivates and inspires her. She began the New Year in her role as Senior Vice President and Chief Missions & Values Officer of IU Health.

She previously served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Christian Theological Seminary. She has made numerous community connections as a guest lecturer, author, preacher and workshop facilitator. She hopes to build on those connections as she joins IU Health’s efforts to make Indiana a healthier state.

Gunning Francis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Hampton University (Hampton,Va.); a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University (Atlanta,Ga.); and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston, Ill.). A native of Willingboro, NJ, Gunning Francis is married to Rodney Francis. They are the parents of two teenage sons.

Her office bookcase is filled with titles that include: “Believe: The Words of Inspiration” by Desmond Tutu; “Crisis in the Village,” by Robert Franklin, “The Wounded Healer” by Henri Nouwen, and The Holy Bible. All are titles that align with her role overseeing the Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, and IU Health Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care. She is also focusing on engaging colleagues more deeply in IU Health’s Mission and Values.

Gunning Francis has also authored two books of her own related to clergy involvement after the 2014 shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.: “Ferguson and Faith: Sparking Leadership and Awakening Community,” and “Faith after Ferguson: Resilient Leadership and in Pursuit of Racial Justice.”

In her new role , she bridges her administrative, scholarly, and pastoral experience to support a holistic approach to the care and well-being of Hoosiers. Here are her thoughts:

Q: What is important to you in your role with IU Health?

A: As a resident of Indiana and someone who is deeply concerned about the needs of people, I am honored to join the efforts to think boldly and creatively about how we can make Indiana a healthier state. Looking at economic, educational, racial and ethnic disparities, are all part of what it means to live a healthy and thriving life and how we can impact that.

Q: When you look at mainstream America and all the tragedy, what would you say are the pillars that impact racial disparities?

A: The first task is to stand in our truth – the truth about our shared history and the long-term impact of structural injustice – and be willing to sit with the discomfort these truths will likely bring. Next, it’s important to listen to the stories of wisdom of people who have been negatively impacted – to gain clarity about what’s needed for corrective action. Finally, we have to be intentional in learning what it means to live in an equitable society, and be willing to do the hard work of making it a reality.

Q: You are passionate about change. What drives that passion?

A: I’m a believer that there are many kinds of injustices in the world that are constructs of human hands. Humans have created these systems and ways of being, so human hands can recreate them. It takes courage to speak up when something is wrong and take corrective action, but we are also called to do no less. One of our core values is purpose: To do good in the lives of ALL others.

Q: You are the mother of two teenage sons. What is your hope for their future and other young men like them?

A: My hope for my sons, and all children is to grow up and live into a future filled with hope and multiple pathways to fulfillment. It is critically important for them to have the freedom to grow fully into their authentic selves and to be valued for who they are. There is no place in this vision for discrimination that dehumanizes any person, regardless or gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nation of origin, or economic circumstances. This a holistic and inclusive vision for our state that can be possible for our children if we work to make it happen right now. It’s the IU Health Way.

By IU Health Senior Journalist, TJ Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org

There’s an image that Kyndal Davis has captured in her mind: A classroom at Sullivan Elementary School in Sullivan, Ind. where every student is wearing a pink t-shirt.

Davis, 35, has been married for 12 years to Colby Davis. They have two daughters, ages 9 and four. But when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2022, she needed to break the news to more than just two children.

She sat down with her school principals and decided to send a letter to the parents of her students.

“I don’t just have two kids; I have 50. We’re so close that I needed to talk them through it,” said Davis. “We sat down with a counselor and we were all crying but they really motivated me.”

Davis had never had a mammogram but found a lump on her left side. “It was almost more on my chest. When I went for an ultrasound they found a larger tumor that wasn’t first detected,” she said. She first went to an oncologist closer to her home. Two aunts had been diagnosed with breast cancer so Davis went in for genetic testing and found out she was negative for the mutation. Still, she wanted to move forward with a double mastectomy.

“My oncologist said: ‘I wouldn’t endorse that surgery,’ so I came to IU Health Simon Cancer Center and it was the best decision I made,” said Davis. She said she felt completely at peace when she met Dr. Tarah Ballinger.

“I wasn’t letting someone else make decisions for my life. It was one thing I had control over and it is my body,” said Davis, who underwent several rounds of chemotherapy prior to a double mastectomy in September. She now continues with hormone therapy block treatments at Simon Cancer Center. Her mother, Nina Spinks joined her for a recent treatment.

“My mom and my husband have been my rocks through all of this,” said Davis.

After telling her students about her diagnosis, Davis said they gifted her with care packages to take to chemotherapy treatments. The bags were filled with snacks, art supplies, a blanket, and other essentials.

“Towards the end of the school year, they kicked me out of the classroom and into the hallway. My co-teacher went in and asked what they were up to,” said Davis. “When she walked into the room she was greeted by a sea of pink – her students were wearing t-shirts that said, “#Team Davis.”

She gets a little choked up as she describes the encouragement that motivates her.

“I sat there in awe looking at these kiddos – my kiddos, displaying those pink t-shirts. I always tell my students at the beginning of the year that we will become like a family going through ups and downs together, but I never dreamed this would be one of those things we would have to go through together,” said Davis. “Having their support and prayers from the start has been amazing. They are definitely a part of what has kept me going. I can’t imagine having any other job and this is not a job; this is what I do.”

A trip to the Emergency department is stressful enough for adults. Just imagine being a six-year-old child brought in by ambulance.

Kindergartner Isabelle Manuel had a seizure at school, which got her that very first ambulance ride to her very first visit in the Emergency department — a terrifying experience.

Isabelle’s parents arrived shortly after, as did Certified Child Life Specialist Mollie Henderson, CCLS, CPST, BS, who knows that coping with illness, injury and treatment is often challenging and stressful for children and their families.

“Mollie was there immediately,” shares mom Jill Manuel. “She was chatting with Isabelle about her likes and dislikes. She brought Isabelle a toy and took the time to explain what was happening.”

A child life specialist like Henderson is a healthcare provider who works with a child during a medical challenge or hospitalization to ensure the child’s life remains as normal as possible. Child life specialist help ease discomfort and teach coping skills through play, preparation, education and self-expression.

“Not only did Mollie put Isabelle at ease, quite frankly, she helped us as parents feel comfortable,” adds Manuel.

A child life specialist can teach a child about health issues that affect them. This includes explaining the procedures in a way the child can understand. It may also mean distracting a child during a procedure.

Henderson helped distract Isabelle while her IV was put into place. She helped her to understand what to expect with her CT scan and how happy thoughts would make it go faster.

“As Mollie got to know more about Isabelle’s likes and dislikes, she was bringing more specific items related to Isabelle’s personality,” says Manuel. “By the time we left seven hours later, Isabelle had six new toys.”

Manuel wanted to know how the child life specialist had the toys to give to the children, like Isabelle. Henderson shared more about the Child Life program at Arnett and that they do accept donations.

A week after leaving the hospital, mom and daughter had a shopping trip, and Isabelle picked out new toys to donate to the Child Life program.

“We wanted to help other families have the same experience we had,” explains Manuel.

How you can contribute

The Child Life Program at IU Health Arnett has an Amazon wish list.

If you would like to make a monetary donation to the Child Life Program at IU Health Arnett, visit the IU Health Foundation page. Under location, select IU Health Arnett Hospital. Once prompted, select “other” under “Please direct my gift to” and type FUND 6114: Pediatrics at IU Health Arnett.

As vice president of Human Resources for the Indianapolis Suburban Region, Tamarah Brownlee works to make the organization thrive and to help team members have a sense of connection and belonging.

Written by Charlotte Stefanski, cstefanski@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

As a mother of four, Tamarah Brownlee always starts with her children—her driving factors.

After 23 years in Human Resources (HR) leadership, Brownlee has worked in retail, education, moving services and healthcare. She’s learned many lessons on how to create a thriving work culture, but as a working mom, she always thinks back to her kids.

“They help me think about the future I’m trying to create here for employees,” she explained. “My children are new to the workforce and remind me of the needs and perspectives emerging from our most recent generations, both the Millennial and Z generations.”

HR leadership was something Brownlee stumbled into after receiving her master’s degree in Public Health. For the last six years, she’s served as the vice president of Human Resources in the IU Health Indianapolis Suburban Region, which includes IU Health North, Saxony, Tipton and West hospitals.

“I’m so glad I came to IU Health, because it connected me back to my mission and grounded me in that space of making meaningful differences in the lives of the people that we serve, our patients and our team members as well,” she said.

Within her role, Brownlee not only creates the region’s HR strategy, but she helps lead several types of programming, including team member recognition, educational opportunities and affinity groups.

She works to make the organization thrive, to help team members do their best, to have a sense of connection and belonging—all while working at the top of their expertise.

“It’s those types of things that create experiences for our team members,” she said. “That sense of wellbeing actually touches the patient as well.”

Helping team members thrive

As a purpose-driven leader, Brownlee looks to draw meaning out of every experience, whether it be the work she does, interactions she has or environments she’s in. It has to make sense to her.

Since working in healthcare, she knows that many frontline team members feel connected to their purpose. It’s something many feel called to do.

“When you’re really connected to what you’re doing and you know what your strengths are, you’re able to really be optimized in that space,” she explained.

She also knows that it can be tricky to find that purpose or “why.” And for the last few years, team members from every role have been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sometimes, team members can feel lost and lose their “why.”

The best part of her job is helping people get there.

Instead of waking up and saying, “I have to go to work,” Brownlee wants to flip the script. She wants team members to say, “I get to go to work,” with an excitement for interaction. She wants them to know they’re about to make a positive impact and can change a life.

“You help people make those connections and you help them to thrive. That’s why I get up every day, to help remove barriers for folks when it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,” she said.

“Research tells us that when people have a sense of belonging, they also have a sense of wellbeing. That has huge impacts on someone’s life.”

But it’s not always easy for Brownlee either. Being both a leader and a student can be tiring, and she’s trying to create time for herself.

This year, Brownlee is focusing on her nutrition and health, making sure she’s fueling her body so that she’s able to carry out her work. She prays and meditates and she’s also trying to bring in an exercise regimen.

Brownlee also doesn’t shy away from taking time off work, because she knows a balanced work and home life is necessary. And she encourages all the same for her fellow leaders and team members.

“As leaders, we have a diligence to be able to live out those elements,” she added. “If I want to foster wellbeing within the IU Health organization, I have to present those options to myself and team members.”

Black History Month is an opportunity

For Brownlee, Black History Month is more than just a moment or a day. It’s a time to express freely and reflect on the past, present and future.

She notes that reflection is a form of learning, and when we reflect on the past—yes, there’s plenty of bad that’s happened. But Black resilience has resulted in more opportunities for diverse perspectives to be incorporated in the narrative today and offers a hope for future generations.

“To me, Black History Month embodies the testament of what’s happened historically, a testament of where we are today and the journey yet ahead, and that there’s still opportunity and growth,” she said.

It also gives the opportunity to ask two questions: What can we do differently? How can we be better?

During this time, Brownlee also liked to think about the trailblazers before her, both well-known and the unsung heroes who paved the way.

For her, one of those is Rosa Parks, who made her stamp in the civil rights movement during the Montgomery bus boycott by refusing to give up her seat.

“In spite of what she could have faced, she made a decision that created a movement, that changed the fiber of our country and our world,” Brownlee said. “Just by that simple act of, ‘I’m going to sit in this boldly and bravely.’”

Brownlee aspires to have that humble courage and to bring it into the IU Health culture. When opinions differ, she doesn’t want to polarize those around her, but instead create a pause and bring forth a new perspective.

Representation matters

That representation and diversity of backgrounds, cultures and opinions matters in healthcare, both for the patient and team members.

Connectedness is something we all strive for, Brownlee said, and when it’s present in work culture, barriers can be broken.

“There’s been plenty of times when folks have come to me as a leader, a woman of color, and said that because they’ve seen me in my position, it inspired them to know that they have an opportunity as well,” Brownlee explained. “Whatever barriers I’ve had to navigate, it gave them hope to say, ‘You know what, if she’s navigated those, I can navigate them as well.’”

The same thing happens when minority patients are cared for by those who look like them and come from similar backgrounds.

There have been times when maybe a patient didn’t have that, and maybe assumptions or biases were made, and that patient had to work with their provider to reach a shared understanding.

“A lot of that goes out of the window, in some regards, when you have that representation. Representation can quickly allow for that shared meaning shared purpose, connection,” she said. “Whereas outside of that, there are certain barriers where people have to be intentional and thoughtful on how to navigate those to get to that place of shared connectedness.”

Seek out diversity in any situation

For those who see a little bit of themselves in Brownlee, she encourages young leaders to find the diversity in the room.

Whether a team member is working in a clinical setting, in an office or leading a group, she advises to find the diverse perspective and exploit it in a positive way.

“When everyone is agreeing, look for something that’s going to help you think outside the box,” she said. “That’s going to help you see a perspective that you or the people in the room may not be considering.”

That will help leaders grow and see there are many ways to achieve a particular outcome. Diversity is all around us, but if we don’t seek it out, we might miss it, she adds.

“Lean into those things that feel uncomfortable and ask questions. Ask as many questions as you can, from a place of curiosity, love and compassion,” Brownlee said. “People will be more apt to share their background. Patients will open up about what matters most to them. Be the difference you want to see in the world.”

While experiencing a heart attack out in the woods, firefighter Thad Dolzall knew he needed to reach a STEMI lab. After months of working with the IU Health West cardiac team, he’s back on his feet.

Written by Charlotte Stefanski, cstefanski@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

The day after Thanksgiving, Thad Dolzall and his two teenage sons made their way into the woods for an afternoon of hunting.

After lunch, the three decided to split up, with the boys going one way and Dolzall another. He told them to meet back at his truck a little after dark. That’s when Dolzall began to notice a little heartburn, but he figured it would disappear once he got up and moving.

But as he got further out into the woods, it became worse. He tried laying down to find some comfort, but now, his stomach hurt too much for him to stand up.

The 50-year-old firefighter thought maybe he could get back to his truck, go into town and buy some medicine before nightfall.

“While I’m lying there, my arm started tingling and my back started hurting,” Dolzall explained. “So I knew it—I was having a heart attack.”

Somehow, Dolzall made it back through the woods, over a creek and back to his truck. As he was unloading his gun, he felt himself beginning to blackout.

“I was standing up but my eyes literally went black,” he said. “I thought, ‘Man, I’m not even going to get out of here alive.’”

Dolzall knew he was in trouble. He was hunting deep in the woods between Spencer and Cloverdale, taking logging roads to get to his destination. Even if he had cell phone service to call 911, he had no way to pinpoint where he was.

He texted his sons—hoping it would reach them—and told them to run back to the truck. He got inside and leaned on the horn. When they arrived, Dolzall was in so much pain that he couldn’t speak. He knew he had to get to a main road to call for help.

But the more he thought about it, Dolzall knew he would have to take himself. It was the day after a major holiday, and he didn’t have enough time to wait for a volunteer crew. And being a firefighter with the Brownsburg Fire Department, he knew he needed immediate cardiac care in a STEMI lab.

The closest was IU Health West Hospital.

“I knew I was racing against time and I knew there wasn’t anywhere else to go,” Dolzall said. “I decided to take the chance to drive in myself.”

A miracle he made it

Luckily, traffic was clear and Dolzall made it to West’s Emergency department (ED) quickly. He walked in, explained the situation and was quickly placed in a room.

He wasn’t in there for very long though. Within minutes, he went into V-Fib, the most common deadly arrhythmia. Team members resuscitated him and used a defibrillator to bring him back.

Dr. Ibrahim Abu Romeh, an interventional cardiologist at IU Health West, was on call that day.

“When Thad came in, our team was activated,” Abu Romeh explained. “That’s what we call it when everybody is called in for an emergency.”

Dolzall was then taken to the catheterization lab where Abu Romeh opened up his artery and placed a stent to relieve the pain and restore blood to the heart muscle.

He had experienced an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a type of severe heart attack caused by a 100% blockage of a coronary artery.

“Heart attacks are always major. People can unfortunately have abnormal rhythms that can be life threatening, which can cause cardiac arrest sometimes,” Abu Romeh said. “If he hadn’t come in that quick, he could have had a sudden cardiac arrest or another unfavorable outcome.”

Dolzall was awake throughout the entire procedure. He remembers everything from the elevator ride up to the lab to feeling the stent being placed.

“Team members had a sense of urgency too. I remember Dr. Abu Romeh talking to me when I was going through the whole thing, explaining what they’re going to do,” Dolzall said. “I could see the procedure on the monitor. You can feel the catheter go up, you can feel that in your heart. It wasn’t painful, but you can feel it.”

From there, Dolzall was taken to the hospital’s Intensive Care unit (ICU). He stayed there for three days to heal and battle breathing difficulties and pneumonia.

“I knew how serious my situation was. It was just one of those things where they had done everything they could do,” Dolzall said. “They told me what was going on and kept me informed.”

Healing with cardiac rehab

One of those team members was Jeremy Kimbley, an exercise physiologist and team lead of IU Health West’s Cardiac Rehab program.

Kimbley visited Dolzall while he was resting in the ICU, simply to introduce himself and to explain what the program entails.

Cardiac rehab is a beneficial part of the healing process and is strongly recommended after a heart attack or stent placement. It not only allows patients to exercise in a supervised environment where their heart levels are monitored, but team members also help patients with dietary changes and smoking cessation.

The program is catered to each patient’s needs, and Dolzall’s heart attack caused problems with the functionality of his heart, meaning his heart wasn’t squeezing as tightly as it should.

“With everything we do from a cardiovascular perspective—with medication, diet and exercise—we are trying to increase a patient’s functional capacity, which is how much work an individual is able to perform with lack of symptoms,” Kimbley explained.

The team also took into account that Dolzall is a firefighter, which often means periods of high intensity work followed by periods of low intensity.

Because of this, a more high intensity regimen was created, starting out with two minutes of running, followed by three of walking, on repeat.

“I tell patients that my goal is to get them back to doing the things they were doing before they had a heart attack, without having concern that their heart is going to be an issue,” Kimbley said.

A bit of hope

After being released from the ICU, Dolzall was scheduled to begin cardiac rehab two weeks later. During their first session, the two sat down and tried to figure out why the heart attack had happened and how to prevent another.

“Jeremy asked me what my goal was, and I told him my goal was that I wanted to go back to work and be a firefighter. I wasn’t sure that would ever happen, I’ll be honest,” Dolzall said. “I knew I had a very serious heart attack and had died, literally. But we sat down, we made a plan.”

Any heart attack is considered a life changing event, Abu Romeh said, which means caretakers need to figure out how to modify the risk factors that increase the risk for heart attacks, including improving dietary habits, encouraging exercise and stopping smoking. Kimbley adds that sometimes it’s things that can’t be controlled, including family history, age, gender or race.

While Dolzall had no family history of heart problems, he did have a poor diet, which was the cause of his heart attack. The idea of rehab was scary, as he still felt weak and exhausted.

“Going into rehab, you’re afraid that if you do anything, that you’ll just drop dead,” Dolzall said.

He isn’t alone in that, and Kimbley said patients often have mental hurdles to overcome after a cardiac episode. His team isn’t there for just the physical aspects, but they help with the mental challenges too.

Despite being nervous about his first appointment, Dolzall said it was like a flip of a switch. He felt alive again, he could feel blood flowing, and he had so much energy he could barely sleep that night.

Dolzall attended cardiac rehab three times a week, and with every appointment, he kept getting stronger. Those two-to-three minute intervals changed to five minute intervals. Most importantly, he started to have hope again.

“The cardiac team saved my life, no doubt about it. I’m telling you, I would have died. In fact, I did die and they brought me back,” Dolzall said. “But with rehab, I went from just being alive to living—to getting back to normal, to doing the things I want to do. Now, I feel normal. I don’t feel like anything ever happened.”

Getting back to normal

After months of rehab, Dolzall reached his goal—He graduated from the program on Feb. 13 and went back to his firefighting duties on Feb. 22.

He thanks all of the IU Health West team members who helped save his life, whether they be in the ED, cath lab, ICU or cardiac rehab team.

“I owe them a lot. I’m so thankful,” he said. “They really changed my life. They saved my life. All of them did.”

To prevent another cardiac event, Dolzall has drastically changed his diet and added more exercise in his life. After his procedure, he’s noticed how much energy he has. Even at 51, he feels 20 years younger. He didn’t realize how bad he was feeling until the procedure. His wife and sons are also happy to see him back on track.

Looking back, the only time he ever had a symptom before his heart attack was the week before. It was the same feeling that started in the woods.

“If you feel like your body is limiting you in any way, go get that fixed, because it shouldn’t. I don’t care how old you are—pay attention to that,” Dolzall advised. “If you ever have anything going on that doesn’t feel right, just go get it checked out. It’s the inconvenience of that compared to what most people wouldn’t live through, what I did live through.”

“If you ask me what happened? First of all, God saved my life. But I feel like he told me where to go for help. I wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere else,” Dolzall added. “I think IU Health West has got their act together. They really do. Everybody was so kind and there’s no exception to that. That matters.”

Keep heart health in mind

February is American Heart Month and prevention is key.

Both Abu Romeh and Kimbley stress that if you’re experiencing any heart symptoms, including shortness of breath and chest tightness or pain, to have it evaluated immediately.

Heart health is also heavily impacted by diet and exercise, as well as risk factors like smoking and drinking.

“Oftentimes, we hear so many times patients say, ‘I’ve been having shortness of breath for six months,’ or, ‘I had chest discomfort when I was out cutting the grass,’ and ignored it,” Kimbley said. “The key to a lot of heart problems is time. If you can catch it early before it turns into a heart attack, that’s very important. Make sure that you’re being honest and talking to your doctors about the symptoms.”

It’s no secret our nurses are highly skilled, innovative and collaborative. Nurse, Hannah Austin has been a team member at Methodist Hospital for more than six years. She recently surveyed her colleagues for some of their favorite “nurse hacks” that make their jobs a little easier. “Not only do all these hacks help save the nurses time, but they also benefit our patients so that we can provide them the best care possible.”

Learn how you can join some of the brightest clinical minds in the state—apply here: https://careers.iuhealth.org/

It takes a team effort to serve a community in need. In her role as Vice President of Community Health Operations, Nichole Wilson has a plan that reaches well beyond the hospital walls.

By IU Health Senior Journalist, TJ Banes, tfender1@iuealth.org

There are certain words that Nichole Wilson uses to describe herself: “Passionate,” and “Driven.” She attributes those characteristics in part to her upbringing.

Her grandmother was a nurse’s aide at IU Health Methodist Hospital for more than 30 years; her aunt is a nurse; and both her mother and sister work in health insurance.

“I was naturally drawn to the health world,” said Wilson, who volunteered at a young age at a physician’s practice where her aunt worked. “Seeing black women work in health care settings was a part of the fabric of my life growing up.” In her leadership role at IU Health she sees an opportunity to honor her family’s legacy and give back to her community.

Wilson grew up in Indianapolis and graduated from Pike High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from DePauw University, master’s and doctoral degrees in physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis and a master’s in business administration from Purdue University.

She joined IU Health in November of 2021. In just over a year, Wilson has turned her attention to four key areas of health care: Behavioral health, infant and maternal health, hypertension, and smoking cessation. Her team also works to address social determinants of health. She is committed to health equity and says she won’t stop until she sees change. “I’ll work day and night and leave no stone unturned to see that needle move,” said Wilson.

Here, Wilson shares some of those initiatives and IU Health’s goals for a broader community health strategy.

Q: Behavioral health is a focus for all IU Health sites. What collaborative efforts are in the works to strengthen access to mental health resources?

A: We are currently in the process of building a system-wide strategic plan for behavioral health. One effort that we will be championing this year is to automate the depression screenings that patients get when they come in for a primary care appointment. The screening will come directly to the patient before their visit. If they screen positive, our integrated behavioral health team will reach out proactively to see if the patient needs specific services and inform their primary physician.

Q: When we talk about social detriments to healthcare, what are the greatest needs for the immediate future?

A: We know 80 percent of a patient’s health outcome is due to social determinants of health. That means the need is great for such things as access to food, transportation, and economic stability. We do need a system-wide strategy to screen our most vulnerable patients for social needs so that we can get them the help that they need. In 2023, we will do just that. We also have a team of social workers that will proactively connect with those patients that screen positively to connect them to much needed resources.

Q: How can IU Health better meet the needs of mothers and infants?

A: IU Health is part of a collaborative initiative called “We Care” where community health workers assist at-risk mothers navigate pregnancy. The goal is to reduce Indiana’s infant mortality rate. As the program expands, community health workers offer specialized services such as lactation education, referrals to doula-assisted births, diapers and formula to new mothers. With community health focuses on hypertension and smoking cessation programs, those services can also be introduced to new mothers.

Q: How do those services expand to others in the community?

A: We recently partnered with the Health Equity team to launch a program called, “iHeart.” This program deploys Community Health Workers into neighborhoods in collaboration with community partners to screen for and address social determinants of health and to offer blood pressure screenings and education. We have identified zip codes where hypertension and social needs are most prominent among black and brown patients. Through community health workers and strong partnerships, we will be able to bring health services to the community.

Q: What do you see as the greatest challenges when we talk about health inequities?

A: Trust. IU Health must continue our efforts to show up in the community authentically. It’s about being there when the community needs us, not just when there’s a photo op. It’s about coming along side community partners to support their initiatives by providing health touches and health care directly to the community. Whether it’s blood pressure screenings, or point-of care testing, and/or – identifying and supporting patients that have mental health needs.

Personal: Wilson has been married to Corey Wilson since 2007. They have a 6-year-old daughter, Nahla.

Tammy Burton: Part 2

For the past few months we’ve been following Tammy Burton’s journey to get a much-needed double lung transplant. A few weeks ago, her surgeon, Dr. Chadrick Denlinger invited cameras into the operating room to get an unveiled look at what that surgery entails. “In the OR you can see there are ten people there, at least. These operations could never happen without the anesthesiologists, the anesthesia resident, surgical residents, the surgeons, the nurse circulators, the scrub nurse, perfusionists, and so on. There’s a huge team that’s there, working to get these patients through these high-risk operations.”

Tammy Burton: Part 1

Doctors diagnosed Tammy Burton with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2021. Since then her disease has progressed to where she needs a lung transplant. “Once I got to know the [transplant team] I knew right then that IU Health was the place to be,” said Tammy who went through the extensive pre transplant process and is now on the transplant list.

“The pre transplant process is a major commitment on the patient and their family,” said Dr. Chadrick Denlinger, IU Health’s lung transplant program director. “There’s a lot that goes into getting through the evaluation. There are lots of appointments, there are lots of tests… but once they actually get to that big day when they get listed it’s a huge deal.”

Recently, students from the Purdue University School of Nursing took a tour of the Center of Hope at IU Health White Memorial Hospital.

The Center of Hope offers patients who have experienced sexual and physical abuse, children and adults, a safe space to receive treatment and care.

The tour came about due to the relationship between Carmen Jones, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, clinical assistant professor of nursing at the Purdue University School of Nursing, and Megan Shupe, BSN, RN, CEN, FNE, director of Center of Hope services for IU Health Arnett, Frankfort and White Memorial hospitals. Both serve as volunteers with the White County Child Abuse Prevention Council.

Jones was looking for a community project her nursing students could participate in. Shupe offered to discuss the dire need for forensic nurses and the important roles forensic nurses play in caring for those who have experienced child abuse and sexual assault.

During their visit to White Memorial Hospital, Shupe armed the nursing students with lots of great information, starting with why the Center of Hope program is necessary.

“Victims deserve care and attention from a special group of professionals who are ready to help in their time of need,” says Shupe. “We want them to know they are not alone.”

Shupe shared some startling statistics:

• 98% of crimes committed against children are by someone they know and trust. It is not “stranger danger.”
• Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
• Over half of women and almost one in three men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetime.

“We discussed the services offered by Center of Hope, the tools used for examinations and why things are laid out a certain way,” says Shupe. “I also shared the pledge to Start by Believing and the challenges victims face, especially by peers.”

The nursing students shared being excited about what they were learning and that there were many aspects of forensic nursing they did not previously know. Several students asked Shupe if she would come speak at their sororities, to share the messages on Purdue’s campus. Two of the students have added forensic nursing to their future plans.

“This was one of my favorite days,” says Shupe. “The students were engaged and soaking up information.”