With the growing health care industry, Riverview Health continues to evolve by expanding and extending its programs and services.

Pat Fox, Riverview’s president and chief executive officer, delivered her annual State of the Hospital Address at the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Harbour Trees Golf Club on March 25. Fox said the county hospital has more than 1,400 employees and 65 board physicians in its network.

At last year’s luncheon, Fox announced the name change from Riverview Hospital to Riverview Health and launched a new branding campaign.

“The whole idea is to relate to our community and to make it very easy and to give a very clear message we are here for the community, patient safety and quality are first and foremost in everything that we do,” she said. “It’s a never-ending journey but certainly one we embrace.”

to more accurately represent its network of health care facilities in Hamilton and Tipton counties.

In early 2014, Riverview began a major initiative to invest in its physician group, which has continued in 2015. During this year alone, Riverview Health has hired five new board-certified physicians: Dr. Christy Kellams, a hand surgeon who will join Westfield Orthopedics in May; Dr. Odell Smith, a family practice physician who will join Noblesville Family Care in May; Dr. Meredith Taylor, a family practice physician joining Prairie Lakes Family Medicine in June; Dr. Addison Haynes, a physician who will replace Dr. Tom Mabel at Hazel Dell Family Care in September; and Dr. Holly Longstreet, a doctor of osteopathy who will join Noblesville Family Medicine in September.

“A lot of people think that Riverview Health is a small entity. One of the reasons that we changed from Riverview Hospital to Riverview Health is because we have over 22 offsite locations,” Fox said. “We’re also licensed for 25 nursing homes across the state. We really are a big system bringing quality and patient safety to all of the communities.”

Fox highlighted the following topics in her speech:

• In 2014, Riverview partnered with Westfield Washington Schools. Like its partnership with Noblesville Schools, Westfield school nurses are employees of the hospital, along with its athletic trainers and sports team doctors. Each district also has a school clinic for employees and pharmacy services.

“It helps connect better with the schools, their faculty and the students,” Fox said. “If you are a patient of any of the Riverview medical staff or you have received services at Riverview and have your medications filled at either location you can have them mailed to your home. We are trying to make it as convenient as possible.”

• Westfield High School’s new football stadium, which will open this spring, will be named Riverview Health Stadium. The hospital agreed to pay $1.2 million for naming rights during a 10-year period and now serves as the exclusive health care provider for the district.

• An area of expansion for Riverview is occupational health. Through WorkMed Occupational Health, Riverview is partnering to provide services to an array of companies varying in sizes. Fox said the hospital is providing all of its pre-employment screenings for Noblesville’s newest soon-to-be retailer Cabela’s before it opens in the fall. Fox said occupational health includes immediate treatments of injuries or acute illness, testing, health screenings and even hazmat training.

“Simple things that might keep your employees away from work,” she said.

• Riverview provides free or discounted services like blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol checks at various health fairs and events and educational health seminars.

“One of the things that is really popular and I’m impressed with Hamilton County’s attendance is we offer a lot of different seminars,” Fox said. “We also have a number of fitness classes we offer at our Riverview Fitness location.”

• In January, Riverview was selected by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as an accountable care organization. Fox said to be considered a hospital has to have more than 5,000 traditional Medicare patients and information is portable so out-of-state care is shared with family doctors.

“It really is to help with that communication and help keep coordinated care,” she said. “It’s an excellent program and I think our community is definitely going to benefit from it.”

• Riverview has expanded its navigator program for those patients who need care for complex conditions such as cancer and orthopedic care.

• New endeavors for 2015 include: further development of sub-specialty areas such as cancer and spine surgeries; expansion of suburban home health; introduction of tele-health services; researching ways to provide transportation assistance to people who have trouble getting to their appointments; and expansion of services throughout the community with the goal of making the services more accessible. Fox said a number of the physician practices are going to extend hours to provide medical care before and after work.

• While development is coming, Fox addressed curiosity about Riverview Health’s plans for its overflow parking lot on Ind. 32.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to develop things, so conceptually we know we need to look at that property. Right now our priority has been Westfield (U.S. 31-Ind. 32) structure,” Fox said. “You know, it’s been fun having a farmers market right here on campus, and certainly when we build out that campus, we hope to keep that close because it is great visibility for everybody. Over the next couple of months, we’re going to be talking with our board and (Hamilton County) commissioners, talking about different concepts and trying to figure out what is the right time to do that. I guess the short answer is there isn’t anything identified right now.”

Upcoming seminars

● Diabetes – The staff of the Diabetes Education Center at Riverview Health will discuss myths and truths regarding diabetes including dietary planning, food restrictions and exercise and provide facts and healthy tips for living well with diabetes from 6 to 7 p.m. April 8.

● Joint replacement – Dr. Jeffrey Ginther, a board certified and fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon, will discuss the latest techniques and procedures for hip and knee replacement, including anterior hip replacement and Exactech Guided Personalized Surgery for knee replacements from 6 to 7 p.m. April 16.

Each seminar is free and will be held in the Krieg DeVault Conference Room, located in the lower level of the Women’s Pavilion. A light dinner will be served. To register, visit riverview.org/classes or call 776-7999.